The golden rule here is to cheat any way we can.
We can make use of ground energy satalite collected energy and space energy in general.
Let's work on both material strength and metameterial dynamics with our big bucks.
We only need enough ability to carry one human in a capsule.
Instead of using elevator technology let's use beads and disks as our spine.
Let's seek to hover or blast our way up with the energy of the spine.
I was reading in new scientist the other week how scientists have made a magnet that only has one polarity we've got 15 - 40 years to go yet unless there's a better way all I hear from governments and business over space is a lot of promises very little substance.
We don't even need as much effort as the concept above to get nanotechnology up and collaberating in space without rockets.