Nearly 12 weeks later, wheelchair lift at Sheboygan apartment building could be working again soon

SHEBOYGAN — After 12 weeks, residents who use the wheelchair lift at Washington School Apartments could soon see it working again.

A Wisconsin Department of Safety & Professional Services inspector could complete an inspection and issue a lift operating permit May 6, according to property management company Gorman & Company .

That is the earliest date a state inspector could come to the property, the company said, after the lift installer notified the department it was “ready immediately” for inspection. That was in the ninth week of the lift not working.

Gorman & Company previously told the Sheboygan Press the lift needed a city inspection, but it needs a state inspection because it has a state permit.

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The lift could be working as soon as the operating permit is issued and approved, the company said.

The new wheelchair lift was installed mid-April but couldn't be used because it still needed an inspection and wiring, Gorman & Company said. The old one was removed Feb. 12 because it needed parts that were obsolete. Lift shaft modifications and electrical structural works contributed to delays in installing the new lift, the company said.

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The lift is positioned at the building's only ADA-accessible entrance. Residents or visitors must go up five steps once inside the entrance to reach the first-floor main hallway. Individuals unable to go up the stairs independently would not be able to get to the first floor at this time because the lift hasn't been working.

At least one wheelchair-bound resident has been practically stuck in the building, without a safe and reliable way to leave the building. A family member of the resident said the situation has been “an ordeal.”

Have a story tip? Contact Alex Garner at 224-374-2332 or agarner@gannett.com . Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @alexx_garner .

This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: Nearly 12 weeks later, wheelchair lift at Sheboygan apartment building could be working again soon