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Kew Gardens Vantage tenants still angry despite elevator fix

By Anna Gustafson

Residents of a Kew Gardens building owned by Vantage Properties said they were relieved in part when their landlord fixed one of the building’s two elevators after it broke last week.

Individuals living in the six-story building at 83-30 118th St. have railed against Vantage for planning on taking months to fix the apartment’s other elevator. When the second elevator broke last week, residents said they were irate, but the elevator was fixed within days.

“Sometimes the second elevator works and sometimes it doesn’t,” said Juveny Sanchez, an architect who has lived in the building for nine years. “It’s good it’s working now, but who knows how long it will last.”

Vantage did not return requests for comment.

When the first elevator broke more than a month ago, residents said Vantage told those living on the upper floors of the building to walk across the roof to get to the second elevator on the opposite side of the apartment.

Second-floor resident Koroush Nassimian had expressed concerns that this was not safe, and recently Vantage has locked the doors to the roof so residents may no longer access the roof.

“It’s a good thing for security reasons,” Sanchez said of the roof being off-limits.

Many of the individuals living in the 110 apartment units have been protesting Vantage’s recent announcement that the broken elevator would not be fixed for months, saying the move has essentially trapped disabled and older residents.

Vantage has hired an individual to help residents move items up and down the stairs Monday through Friday from around 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., but tenants have said this is not always helpful because they often do their shopping after 8 p.m. or on weekends.

Reach reporter Anna Gustafson by e-mail at agustafson@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 174.