Expanding an elevator system in a hoistway of a building including: parking an elevator car at or below a first level, between a first rail system extend along first wall of the hoistway and a second rail system extending along a second wall of the hoistway that is opposite the first wall; raising the second rail system to the second level; supporting an elevator machine with a bedplate; the elevator machine is operatively connected to a machine end of a tension system; and the tension system is operationally connected to the elevator car; engaging a first safety block, operatively connected to the bedplate, to release the second rail system; and raising the bedplate to the second level.