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Seniors Trapped as Elevator Fails in Chinatown
28 Feb
Summary
- Seniors in Philadelphia's Chinatown are without an elevator for over a week.
- A state inspection flagged a compliance issue, halting elevator service.
- Building owner is working to fix the issue and recertify elevators.
Elderly residents at Man An House, an affordable housing building in Philadelphia's Chinatown, have been without a functioning elevator for more than eight days as of February 28, 2026. This prolonged outage has forced many, including those with limited mobility and non-English speaking individuals, to rely on stairs or assistance from others to navigate the five-story building.
The elevator was taken out of service last Thursday following a compliance issue identified during a routine state inspection. Building owner Pennrose Properties acknowledged the situation, stating that efforts are underway to rectify the problem and recertify the elevators. An inspection was scheduled for Monday, March 2nd, 2026, to assess the repairs.
The Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation cited scheduling the required state inspection as a contributing factor to the delay. Residents and caretakers express concern over the hardship caused, emphasizing the residents' dependence on the elevator for essential needs like accessing food and community services. Pennrose Properties reported implementing support measures, including assistance with groceries and maintaining a fire watch.
