Two-story offices, boutique hotels, churches, medical suites and mixed-use buildings share a problem. They need to provide access to an upper floor, and a full commercial elevator is more machine, more space and more money than the building can justify. The LULA elevator fills that gap.
What LULA means
Limited Use, Limited Application. It is a recognized category of elevator in the safety code, intended for low-rise buildings with modest traffic. To the passenger it looks and feels like any small elevator, with automatic doors and floor buttons.
How it differs from a standard commercial elevator
- A smaller cab, sized for a wheelchair and a companion
- Limited travel height and a lower speed
- A shallower pit and less overhead clearance
- Lower purchase, installation and running costs
Where it fits
- Professional offices and medical or dental practices
- Houses of worship and community centers
- Schools and libraries
- Small hotels, restaurants and retail with a mezzanine or second floor
- Existing buildings being upgraded
LULA or wheelchair lift
A wheelchair lift is ideal for a short rise such as an entry or a stage. For a full story, in an enclosed cab that all visitors can use, a LULA is usually the better fit.
Before you commit
- Confirm with your architect and the building department that a LULA is permitted for your building type and use
- Identify where the hoistway can go with least disruption to tenants
- Allow for state elevator permitting and inspection
Retrofit friendly
Because it needs less pit depth and headroom, a LULA can often be fitted into an existing building where a conventional elevator could not.
Talk to us
See our Freedom Commercial LULA page. Nationwide Lifts of Southern California works with building owners and architects. Call (714) 228-9982 or request a quote.