Broken elevators create chaos for residents of downtown high-rise

Residents stuck with broken elevators

FOX 13's Evyn Moon reports on the struggles of residents at a high-rise apartment building in downtown Tampa after electrical issues forced all the elevators to be shut down.

TAMPA, Fla. - The last thing you want to see when living in a high-rise apartment building is that the elevators are out of service.

That's what residents of Channel Club Apartments in downtown Tampa are dealing with, as all elevators are shut down for a few days this week, creating problems for those with dogs and the elderly.

Channel Club Apartments in downtown Tampa

Residents have been sent daily email updates from management staff referencing electrical issues. On Thursday, the complex said they were shipping parts overnight.

What they're saying:

"To be honest, I'm 30-something years old, and after a few days, this is impacting me really hard. My dog is 15. He's trying not to go [to the bathroom] in the house, so he's dying," said one resident. "Every time I do go down, seeing people significantly older than me, with way bigger, older dogs, and the look on their faces. The things they're saying, they look like they literally just ran a marathon. They have no breath."

An email from management updating residents of the Channel Club Apartments in downtown Tampa that elevators will be shut down.

Another resident said there have been issues for a few weeks.

"There has been an ongoing issue with the elevators going in and out for actually several weeks. We are now approaching tomorrow; it'll be the third day. We have 22 floors here, so there have been people stranded, literally stranded, if you cannot walk the 22 floors," they said.

Dig deeper:

They said many elderly people live in the building.

A resident walking his dog.

"If you're elderly, and there have been people that are elderly, then they have to carry their dogs, and then maybe they're elderly, and they can't carry their dogs," they said. "Then medications, people take medications. How are they getting their medications if they're not able to walk down the stairs?"

The other side:

FOX 13 reached out to the management team of the building about the resident's concerns and were told, "No comment."

Bainbridge, the parent company, has not yet responded.

Channel Club Apartments in downtown Tampa

In emails shared with FOX 13, the management team apologized for the disruptions, adding, "We understand that this is a very inconvenient and frustrating. Our main focus has remained on resolving this issue as soon as possible."

Big picture view:

Still, residents feel the staff haven't understood the gravity of the situation for some.

"It's upsetting because it's not so much the money that people are paying. It's the compassion. There has been a lack of compassion," said one resident.

"It has actually been a nightmare. I'd just love to get clarity, and hopefully, these people can stop suffering just taking care of their animals and living their life getting home," another resident added.

The Source: FOX 13's Evyn Moon collected the information in this story.

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