they can install temporary stair-masters to carry people up and down the stairs

But that could be a fire hazard Hospital Elevator issue because the stairs are narrow.

“Possibly when they're fixing it we may be able to have service with an operator during the day,” Freedman said.

However, those possible changes would not happen until after the Thanksgiving holiday, which leaves tenants such as Whitley re-thinking their plans.

"I don't know what I'm going to do for the holiday. Nothing probably because if I go out and get full of turkey,” Whitley said. “I'll have to bring that turkey upstairs.”

Stuck inside for the holidays. That is the situation for several people with disabilities who live in the upper floors of a shoreline housing complex.

The residents said the building's lone elevator is broken and the repairs may take nearly two months.

"The elevator is broken,” 73-year-old Isaac Whitley said.

Whitley told Eyewitness News after he tried taking the WFSB reporters up to his fifth floor apartment. However, half way up he asked if we could go back outside and do the interview.

"I think my heart is pounding like it is,” Whitley said. “I'm out of breath."

The only elevator in the six-story Eleanor Roosevelt house apartment building in Stamford is not going up or down. Many of the residents are older or have a disability.

“Some of them up there can't come down,” Whitley said.

On our way up with Whitley, Eyewitness News ran into the man who delivers food to some of the seniors. He was also winded on the stairs.

"They have to specially order a new control board and it's going to take weeks and that's a tragedy,” said Joel Freedman, who is the owner of the Eleanor Roosevelt building.

The elevator is about 30 years old and the managers said that is making it more challenging to get parts. So now the managers said they're working on a temporary solution.

Garden Homes Management is trying to see if Desenk Elevator they can install temporary stair-masters to carry people up and down the stairs.