MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Residents at a high-rise apartment tower for fixed-income seniors say they’re stuck without a working elevator, and complaints to management are getting no results.
It’s not the first time WREG has looked into Memphis Towers in the Medical District. Last year, an investigation found low HUD inspection scores and code violations
Olive McBee, who’s lived on the fifth floor in Memphis Towers almost 11 years and uses a wheelchair to get around, says there always seems to be problems with the building’s two elevators.
“There’s only been one working for the past three months. And the elevator they have now, it barely works and stopped little while ago,” he said. “Now it’s stuck upstairs.”
That was the situation Wednesday morning when we talked with McBee, who says he’s fed up with the inconvenience.
“I’ve been told they’re going to have a technician come out. I haven’t seen one,” he said.
Another resident also said the building sometimes doesn’t have a working elevator.
A manager with Memphis Towers told WREG that the problems with the elevator are fixed.
He explained that a resident put something in the elevator’s door track, preventing the door from closing, but both elevators were now running.
Residents also had concerns about a lack of full-time security.
“You expect the building to be sufficient for every need,” said William Johnson, whose cousin lives at Memphis Towers.
Johnson says tenants have been given key cards to access the building’s main entrance, but Johnson worries the new system isn’t working the way it should.
“A lot of times I go there, the door is already cocked open, so anybody can just walk in,” he said.
A WREG reporter was able to walk right through the front door with no security in sight.
Johnson says he’s worried about the welfare of residents here and hopes changes are made soon.
“They don’t seem to be in any hurry to address it, so maybe this will help,” he said.
Millennia Housing, the company that runs Memphis Towers, said they have worked to maximize the number of hours security is on-site based on the need.
They also said they are working to engage a vendor to repair the inoperable elevator, but the second elevator is functioning.
