Founded in 1992, Start Elevator is a family-owned business that has served some of the Tri-State Area’s most prominent building owners and landlords over the course of its two-decade-plus existence. From the very beginning, Start Elevator’s business philosophy has been simple: providing personalized service and striving for excellence, with the ultimate aim of achieving total customer satisfaction
. Bronx, New York-based Start Elevator specializes in elevator maintenance, repair and modernization. The company currently has about 85 employees, including about a dozen office and management staff, a dozen supervisory employees, five construction teams, five repair teams and 15 service mechanics. Though the company began in New York City and continues to do much of its business there, it also serves far-flung clients in suburban New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Its seasoned mechanics, repair professionals and construction experts can handle virtually all elevator types and is capable of tackling large, complex jobs that may be out of smaller competitors’ reach. In the most recent fiscal year, Start Elevator’s technicians handled modernization and construction jobs as small as $50,000 and as large as $6 million. Owners of older buildings with antiquated elevator systems trust the company to execute timely, cost-effective modernization jobs that enhance occupant safety without creating undue inconvenience or budgetary headaches. In 2014, Start Elevator acquired Al-An Elevator Maintenance Corporation, a well-regarded elevator firm with more than 30 years of experience in the Tri-State area. The acquisition paves the way for a new phase of growth and positions Start Elevator as a leader in the Northeast’s elevator construction, maintenance and repair sectors. Start Elevator’s busy crews are committed to excellence in everything they do. The company itself is also committed to helping those who can’t always help themselves. As a proud steward of the Tri-State region’s less fortunate, the elevator company devotes a substantial fraction of its annual revenues to reduced-fee and pro bono projects that measurably improve quality of life for its patrons and neighbors. In 2015, for instance, the company contacted Brooklyn’s historic Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, whose elevator had been seriously damaged during Hurricane Sandy, and offered to repair the entire system free of charge.
“When [Start Elevator] learned of the parish’s hardship, they realized they could do a small deed that would have a huge impact. We never asked them to fix the elevator for free, but the fact that they offered to do so shows what a good company they are. Generosity must come from the heart...and Start’s leaders genuinely care [about the church’s well-being],” said Father Eamon Murray, the parish leader. The company is also a devoted supporter of the Bottom Line program, a nonprofit organization that provides young people from disadvantaged backgrounds with the tools and guidance they need to succeed in school and the workplace. Since 2013, Start Elevator has welcomed a summer intern from the Bottom Line program, offering real-world job experience and mentorship for bright, driven students. The company is also an active sponsor of the Bottom Line program, providing much-needed funding and logistical support for its valuable mission.
