The first "self
service" Otis elevator (an elevator not requiring an operator) was
installed in St. Luke's Hospital,
Chicago, Illinois, in 1925. The Otis elevator located in the Jerome Grand
Hotel was installed in October 1926. It is fully operational and provides
service to all five levels of the Hotel. Never having been modernized with
automatic doors or any other upgrades available, this is the oldest original
"self service" elevator in Arizona
and possibly the United States. It has been out of order for a total of 4
hours and 15 minutes in the past 10 years, far exceeding the dependability of
most modern elevators.

The
State of Arizona provides inspections at regular intervals of the equipment
and safety devises to insure the elevator is safe for public use. Traveling
at a speed of 50 ft. per minute, it takes 45 seconds to reach the top level.
Some modern elevators travel at speeds in excess of 800 ft. per minute thus
reaching as high as 60 stories in the same amount of time. This charming
elevator delights our guests.