Removing a dumbwaiter

We would like to remove a dumbwaiter in the kitchen of our apartment – just the one dumbwaiter on our floor. And I’d like to hear from anyone with experience. We thought we’d leave a 2 foot-piece of the dumbwaiter coming down from the ceiling (just enough to shove our fridge under it), which we’d patch up with wood and plaster. And the bottom hole, we’d cover with a metal deck, rebar and some concrete, topped by tile. Does that make sense? And should we have any structural concerns – support issues? Thanks, Marcus