Elevator apparatus

An elevator apparatus comprises: a first driving machine (9) having a first drive sheave (11), the first driving machine (9) being disposed in an upper portion of a hoistway (1); a second driving machine (12) having a second drive sheave (14), the second driving machine (12) being disposed in an upper portion of the hoistway (1); a car (5) raised and lowered inside the hoistway (1) by a driving force from the first and second driving machines (9, 12); a counterweight (6, 7, 34) raised and lowered inside the hoistway (1) by a driving force from the first and second driving machines (9, 12); suspending means (15, 24) wound around the first and second drive sheaves (11, 14), the suspending means (15, 24) suspending the car (5) and the counterweight (6, 7, 34) inside the hoistway (1); and a control apparatus (100) for controlling the first and second driving machines (9, 12) by operating modes including a double operating mode in which the first and second driving machines (9, 12) are both driven simultaneously, and a single operating mode in which only one of the first and second driving machines (9, 12) is driven.