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MTA Renovation of 31 Subway Stations throughout the New York-Metro Area Gets Underway


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Along with the approval of the Capital Program by the Review Board:
 

The Governor also announced that the MTA is moving forward with a plan to renovate 31 subway stations throughout the New York metropolitan area – a key aspect of his plan to reimagine the MTA for the 21st century. This week, the MTA Board is expected to approve a Request for Statement of Qualifications to begin identifying design-build teams to undertake the massive renovation program.

“Today marks a major step forward for the MTA, and the people of New York,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Tom Prendergast. “With historic levels of funding through the capital plan, we have the resources and support we need to fulfill the Governor’s mandate to renew, enhance and expand our transportation infrastructure. We’ll be taking the Governor’s lead by employing strategies that speed construction – such as design-build contracts – while at the same time introducing the latest technologies across the system, more intuitive wayfinding at our stations, and a host of other amenities. And, as always, we’ll continue to fulfill our core mission of ensuring the safety and reliability of the entire system.”

The station renovation initiative will include a wide range of innovative designs to enhance the customer experience, including dramatically improved lighting and more intuitive signs to make it easier for customers to navigate stations. The renovated stations will also offer amenities such as cellular connectivity, Wi-Fi and new art.

The RSQ is the first step in a two-step process in which the most qualified teams are identified and shortlisted. After a group of pre-qualified design-build teams have been identified by early summer, teams on the shortlist will be invited to submit proposals on all subsequent station renovation packages beginning in July.

The first contract is expected to be awarded in the fall. Makeover work at the selected stations is expected to be completed in six to 12 months, and the work at most of the 31 stations will be completed by December, 2018. The 31 stations included in the Station Renovation Program build upon a larger campaign designed to improve the customer experience that will include component and renewal work at more than 170 other stations.

https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-final-approval-27-billion-5-year-mta-capital-program-advancement-other

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Oh please.  Just clean the damn platforms.  I mean really... Every station I've been in (even recently renovated ones) is FILTHY.  Why can't they do more power washing of the platforms?  That alone would be helpful.  Aside from that they need to focus on better construction.  It's a disgrace how bad some of the "new" stations look.  Shut them down where needed and stop with the piece meal crap.  All it does is waste money.  168th and 181st streets on the (1) are prime examples of projects that have been nothing but money pits.  The platforms are beyond disgusting and have been in renovation mode now for years.

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 Shut them down where needed and stop with the piece meal crap.  All it does is waste money.  168th and 181st streets on the (1) are prime examples of projects that have been nothing but money pits.  The platforms are beyond disgusting and have been in renovation mode now for years.

These aren't piecemeal. They are making a point of closing these stations, doing all the work and then reopening them. Also, they have said that these renovations will follow a completely new design standard which other stations will receive soon.

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These aren't piecemeal. They are making a point of closing these stations, doing all the work and then reopening them. Also, they have said that these renovations will follow a completely new design standard which other stations will receive soon.

I hope so, and then they should set aside monies to keep these stations cleaned regularly.  If they want NYC to be more tourist friendly and attract more investment, they'll need to address the subway.  It's an eyesore, and people always complain and ask why it's so filthy here.  They should also take more trains out of service and re-do the floors.  Some of them are so worn out on the newer trains that they're almost a safety hazard.

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Are they redoing the tiles to a new design or are they leaving the current designs intact?

I hope they continue what they did with the first few renovations (33rd Street, 8 Avenue and Canal Street) and have the designs be a modern interpretation of the original designs.

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Unless the plans have changed since the proposal was made in January, this should be the list of stations:

 

4th Avenue Line:

53 Street

Bay Ridge Av

Prospect Av

 

6th Avenue Line:

23 Street

57 Street

 

8th Avenue Line:

72 Street

86 Street

163 St-Amsterdam Av

Cathedral Pkwy

 

Astoria Line:

30 Avenue

36 Avenue

39 Avenue

Broadway

 

Concourse Line:

167 Street

174-175 Streets

 

Crosstown Line:

Classon Av

Flushing Av

 

Dyre Ave Line:

Pelham Pkwy

 

Fulton St Line:

Clinton-Washington Avs

Kingston-Throop Avs

Van Siclen Av

 

Lenox Ave Line:

145 Street

 

Lexington Ave Line:

28 Street

 

Pelham Line:

3 Av-138 St

Brook Av

Hunts Point Av

Westchester Sq-E Tremont Av

 

Queens Blvd Line:

67 Avenue

Northern Blvd

Parsons Blvd

 

Staten Island Railway:

Richmond Valley

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Why are they forever skipping over it? Is it engineering; that they haven't figured out how to solve the problems (leaking, etc). Or it's just too costly at the present?

Good question.  The biggest eyesore of them all.  Maybe the subway advocates need to go down there and make a stink, but it's probably so disgusting that they can't stand to be there for too long.  Then again, they could probably re-do all of the stations in Manhattan along the (J)(Z) line.  Most of them with perhaps the exception being the last stop are downright deplorable.  Goes to show what a slum the Lower East Side was back in the day.  I remember being a teenager when they re-did Canal Street, and that station looks horrible today.  Leaks everywhere, etc.

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I hope they continue what they did with the first few renovations (33rd Street, 8 Avenue and Canal Street) and have the designs be a modern interpretation of the original designs.

Now what about 57 St? That station opened with thm ugly refrigerator tiles so what now lol

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Now what about 57 St? That station opened with thm ugly refrigerator tiles so what now lol

Well, 8 Av on the (L) had IND style tiles for the longest, then got tiles in the same style as the other Canarsie Line stations in its renovation, so it wouldn't surprise me if they installed IND style tiles at 57 Street, with the white "57" like 42nd and 59th on the (A)(C).

 

 

Today's station renovation guidelines encourage new ceramics to reflect historic precedents. These Eighth Avenue ceramics echo Vickers's Arts and Crafts approach-small geometric tiles set irregularly in rectangular patterns-without imitating any specific example

^ That's the caption of a picture of 8 Avenue's post-renovation tiles from Subway Style page 54.

 

@Lance

Arthur Kill on the SIR is also on the official list.

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Chambers st on the (J)(Z) NEEDS to be included into this.

Why are they forever skipping over it? Is it engineering; that they haven't figured out how to solve the problems (leaking, etc). Or it's just too costly at the present?

Good question.  The biggest eyesore of them all.  Maybe the subway advocates need to go down there and make a stink, but it's probably so disgusting that they can't stand to be there for too long.  Then again, they could probably re-do all of the stations in Manhattan along the (J)(Z) line.  Most of them with perhaps the exception being the last stop are downright deplorable.  Goes to show what a slum the Lower East Side was back in the day.  I remember being a teenager when they re-did Canal Street, and that station looks horrible today.  Leaks everywhere, etc.

There's a very simple reason why Chambers St was not included in this list of stations. Regardless of their current condition, all of the stations on this list are minor, nondescript stations with few exits and small mezzanines if any. They all fit into Cuomo's "get in, get the job done and get out" 6-12 month rehab projects. They are low-hanging fruit in terms of showing off the "new" methods of station renovations. Chambers St does not fit those parameters. The conditions of the station along with its importance as a transfer point to the Lexington Ave line would make sure its rehab would last well past those guidelines. Add to that the fact that Chambers St is a historical landmark and any renovation plans will get stuck in legal nonsense faster than you can say "rehab".

 

Now what about 57 St? That station opened with thm ugly refrigerator tiles so what now lol

Well, 8 Av on the  (L) had IND style tiles for the longest, then got tiles in the same style as the other Canarsie Line stations in its renovation, so it wouldn't surprise me if they installed IND style tiles at 57 Street, with the white "57" like 42nd and 59th on the  (A)(C).

 

^ That's the caption of a picture of 8 Avenue's post-renovation tiles from Subway Style page 54.

I actually don't mind the tiles at 57 Street. Maybe it's the quintessential '60s style of it all.

 

Someone should think of a use for the other platforms at Chambers Street. The station will always look like an eyesore if half of it is abandoned.

There is literally no use for them. Just clean them up as their telework is a nice piece of BRT/BMT history.

That depends on what's allowed in the renovation. Usually, landmark preservation dictates the renovation must maintain the historical integrity of the structure. I'd say build a wall surrounding the unused platforms like they did at Canal St and Bowery.

 

@Lance

Arthur Kill on the SIR is also on the official list.

Arthur Kill is a brand new station. It's not undergoing any kind of renovations.

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There's a very simple reason why Chambers St was not included in this list of stations. Regardless of their current condition, all of the stations on this list are minor, nondescript stations with few exits and small mezzanines if any. They all fit into Cuomo's "get in, get the job done and get out" 6-12 month rehab projects. They are low-hanging fruit in terms of showing off the "new" methods of station renovations. Chambers St does not fit those parameters. The conditions of the station along with its importance as a transfer point to the Lexington Ave line would make sure its rehab would last well past those guidelines. Add to that the fact that Chambers St is a historical landmark and any renovation plans will get stuck in legal nonsense faster than you can say "rehab".

If that's the case then how does 86th street on the (B)(C) line fit the criteria?  I wouldn't call the condition of 86th street minor, and with all of the stairs, it could use an elevator somewhere.  

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When I said "current conditions", I meant in terms of needing a renovation. Most stations, including 86 Street, are local stations. 3 Avenue and Hunts Point Av are the exceptions here and even then, they don't break the top 100 stations in terms of usage.

 

As to installing elevators there, I wouldn't hold my breath. It would appear elevators and ADA accessibility were not part of Cuomo's list of amenities that will be added with these renovations.

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As to installing elevators there, I wouldn't hold my breath. It would appear elevators and ADA accessibility were not part of Cuomo's list of amenities that will be added with these renovations.

That is ridiculous. How does the MTA get away with breaking federal laws?

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That is ridiculous. How does the MTA get away with breaking federal laws?

Since the station opened up long before the law took effect in 1990 (station opened in 1932 lol), it's not legally required to have the full ADA amenities. Would be a good thing, but legally doesn't have to.

 

BUT...

 

If they are building a brand new entrance to said station (in this case they aren't), then it falls under ADA requirements, and they MUST install elevators/ramps.

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Since the station opened up long before the law took effect in 1990 (station opened in 1932 lol), it's not legally required to have the full ADA amenities. Would be a good thing, but legally doesn't have to.

 

BUT...

 

If they are building a brand new entrance to said station (in this case they aren't), then it falls under ADA requirements, and they MUST install elevators/ramps.

That's interesting. I was under the impression that any renovation work triggered ADA requirements and that's why the MTA came up with the Component Repair program because even though they were updating station features, it technically wasn't a renovation.

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57th Street-6th Avenue seems fine to me; doing any work there is simply unnecessary.  Reminds me of the renovation they've done at 63rd Street-Lexington Avenue; I'd take the old orange-and-beige refrigerator tiles anyday over the tacky new design they've been putting in.  Sometimes it's just better to leave well enough alone.

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57th Street-6th Avenue seems fine to me; doing any work there is simply unnecessary.  Reminds me of the renovation they've done at 63rd Street-Lexington Avenue; I'd take the old orange-and-beige refrigerator tiles anyday over the tacky new design they've been putting in.  Sometimes it's just better to leave well enough alone.

The orange and beige tiles had to go because they were a false wall...

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I was thinking of the ones on the trackside wall, as well as the ones around the elevator shafts- those could have stayed.  I also find it odd that the current plan for the eastern mezzanine has been changed to elevators instead of escalators.  Demolishing already-existing provisions for escalators to the platform just seems like yet another waste.  Current elevator stations such as 168th St and 181st St are a pain in the ass.  Many trains I missed because none of those places had a damn escalator...   

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That's interesting. I was under the impression that any renovation work triggered ADA requirements and that's why the MTA came up with the Component Repair program because even though they were updating station features, it technically wasn't a renovation.

 

 

From the ADA:

 

 

 

Where the public entity is undertaking an alteration that affects or could affect usability of or access to an area of the facility containing a primary function, the entity shall also make the alterations in such a manner that, to the maximum extent feasible, the path of travel to the altered area and the bathrooms, telephones, and drinking fountains serving the altered area, are readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, including individuals who use wheelchairs, upon completion of such alterations, where such alterations to the path of travel or the bathrooms, telephones, and drinking fountains serving the altered area are not disproportionate to the overall alterations in terms of cost and scope (as determined under criteria established by the Attorney General).

 

So, basically, if the amount of usability or access is changed, it triggers the ADA. Replacing tilework doesn't, because that's not actually changing the function of the station. Adding a completely new staircase would, because this is counted as a "new" component that would alter the flow, or access of an area, and you would need to provide ADA access to any part of the alteration. Widening a staircase would also count as an alteration, because all of a sudden you are making the station more usable, and since this change is after 1990 you would need to make the alteration ADA accessible as well.

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