It Has Begun...Macy's Herald Square Wooden Escalator Replacement Progress - New York, NY

All of the wooden escalators in this store are set to be gone by 2027. This is a fact. I have spoken to a few Schindler mechanics who are part of this job (which is one of the biggest contracted jobs in the entire city) and they are indeed in the process of replacing every single wooden escalator. The reasons are just what you expect them to be: they are unsafe, very expensive to maintain, and replacement parts are very hard to find. It has been said by some that these are historically protected and that Macy's has fought to keep these escalators (since they are the last of their kind in the United States). I'm not sure how much of that is actually true, but time has run out for these. According to one specific mechanic I talked to, they are only keeping two wooden escalators and they will be "put on display" when the project is fully complete, whatever that means. It's heartbreaking to see history go, but all good things truly do come to an end at some point. Since my last visit to this store in July 2023, 2 wooden escalators have been ripped out and replaced with brand new Schindler 9700 installations, with two more in the process. Slowly but surly, they are getting to all of them. Come enjoy these while you still can!