New company, Lift, creates unique elevator experiences that offer more than a ride

CHELSEA, Manhattan (WABC) -- The average elevator ride is pretty mindless. Get in, push the button and stare at the floor, wall or ceiling, and wait for your destination.

But that may be changing, as rides in some New York City elevators will soon offer a whole new art-filled experience.

Scott Vandervoort sees the possibility for art in places most people don't even think about, so when it was time to upgrade the elevator in the building where he lives, he thought, why not offer a totally different way to ride.

The end result is a vertical mural on a wall of the elevator shaft, and a window to see it.

"This is a canvas with an 80-foot wall," he said. "It's a very unique experience."

The idea led Vandervoort, an interior designer, to create a side business called Lift New York, which helps developers and building owners create elevators that offer more than just a ride.

At AKI Development's Graffiti House, a new rental building in Astoria, the art in the elevator is inspired by the graffiti that runs throughout the neighborhood.

Eyewitness News reporter Lauren Glassberg got a behind the scenes look. Check out her report in the video player above.