LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Only one manually operated elevator remains in Kentucky, but that may soon change with efforts to remove the machine. 

Five days a week, Martean Brown listens for a high-pitched buzz. 

This is a sound she hears often, alerting her that someone is awaiting the elevator. 

As an elevator operator, Brown shares her job title with only a handful of Kentuckians. 

All 20 of them work at the Commodore Condominiums in Louisville, working on the state's last manually operated elevator.

“Everybody likes to come in and see the originality of the elevator because it does set a mood for the building,” Brown said.  

But Brown’s ride may come to a halt soon. 

Residents at the 11-story luxury condo complex plan to vote Wednesday, Feb. 28 on whether to keep the elevator and its operating staff.

“The elevator is the heart of the building, not just for its ability to transport us, but it’s the cohesion of the building, and we can get to know each other,” said resident Teresa Heintzman. 

Others wish to automate the elevator to reduce costs. But Heintzman, who’s lived in the building for more than 40 years, said the elevator and staff do much more than just provide a lift.  

“They are [a] kind and happy face in the morning," she said. "Some of it is getting our mail for us when we are not feeling up to it [or] taking our laundry from the washer to the dryer.” 

Brown said the condominium's residents have become like family to her. She described the elevator as a cherished ride through history.

“It’s not the good old days if they take all the old stuff," Brown said. "You've got to keep some of the stuff around."

The elevator has been in use since the building opened in 1929. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a designation given to buildings of historic significance.