Turtle,
3 years! The elevator service men must have been charging a fortune for having to clean up the extra dirt.

I do have some questions.

When were these elevators installed?
How many elevators are in the building?
How many apartment units are there?
How many occupants are there?
What parts were replaced recently?
Were the parts original to the elevators installation?
How many service call were there three years prior to the construction?
How many service call have there been during the 3 years of construction?

Can you post a few pictures of the elevators machine rooms current condition?