Cuomo's Station Redesigns

[MHV9218]

Some of the more interesting things in today's announcement about the R211 contracts were the renderings of the station redesigns Cuomo has proposed. Ironically, they look a lot like the 1970s and 1980s-era renovations, only with newer technology. The first stations to be renovated are all line 4th Ave stations: Prospect, 53rd, and Bay Ridge Ave. All of these were redone in the 1970s with 'refrigerator tile' walls that covered up the elegant tiles underneath, and there's not evidence that Cuomo plans to remove those ugly tiles (as has been seen along Manhattan stations that have been renovated, which are nearly every station except Rector and 49th. Also amusing are the entrance kiosks, which also look familiar.  

 

Outdoor kiosks: 

 

 

(MTA rendering)

 

Late 1980s/early 1990s renovation of 179th St, F line (Brian Weinberg photo). Nearly everything has been tried before, including backlit signs (another 1980s failure, mostly covered up around the system but still seen at the Church Ave and some other stations).

 

 

Inside, the old tiles remain, only presumably under brighter lights:

 

 

1970s renovation with same color insert tiles (Jeremiah Cox photo)

 

 

The scariest thing is, 53rd St. probably looked that bright when it was first renovated, before decades of steel dust set in!

 

It's a total break from tradition to not restore the elegant mosaics (103rd St. on the is the most recent time that has happened) and white tiles, and the new designs seem a little dated. I'm glad to see a tiny bit of effort put into the MTA, but wifi in stations is lipstick on a pig before Cuomo actually contributes to the Capital Fund and restores the lockbox. We need real investment, not window dressing.

[GojiMet86]

Said this in the R211 thread, Cuomo is already trying to take the credit for the gangway trains.

[R10 2952]

Exactly.  It's all a facade (literally) for covering up the real, underlying problems the MTA faces.  This imperial governor of ours seems to enjoy the immediate limelight more than addressing long-term issues...

[Missabassie]

Welp, this has become de rigueur in the new millennium... if somethings wrong, throw money at it....  

  ....driving up debt in the process. The sheeple will be busy on their cellphones to notice its all a façade. And the Governor?

 He shall reap righteous approval points.

 

 

 

 

 

....and the decay continues to fester beneath the surface....                      Such is politics.     

[MassTransitHonchkrow]

Some of the more interesting things in today's announcement about the R211 contracts were the renderings of the station redesigns Cuomo has proposed. Ironically, they look a lot like the 1970s and 1980s-era renovations, only with newer technology. The first stations to be renovated are all line 4th Ave stations: Prospect, 53rd, and Bay Ridge Ave. All of these were redone in the 1970s with 'refrigerator tile' walls that covered up the elegant tiles underneath, and there's not evidence that Cuomo plans to remove those ugly tiles (as has been seen along Manhattan stations that have been renovated, which are nearly every station except Rector and 49th. Also amusing are the entrance kiosks, which also look familiar.

 

Outdoor kiosks:

 

 

(MTA rendering)

 

Late 1980s/early 1990s renovation of 179th St, F line (Brian Weinberg photo). Nearly everything has been tried before, including backlit signs (another 1980s failure, mostly covered up around the system but still seen at the Church Ave and some other stations).

 

 

Inside, the old tiles remain, only presumably under brighter lights:

 

 

1970s renovation with same color insert tiles (Jeremiah Cox photo)

 

 

The scariest thing is, 53rd St. probably looked that bright when it was first renovated, before decades of steel dust set in!

 

It's a total break from tradition to not restore the elegant mosaics (103rd St. on the is the most recent time that has happened) and white tiles, and the new designs seem a little dated. I'm glad to see a tiny bit of effort put into the MTA, but wifi in stations is lipstick on a pig before Cuomo actually contributes to the Capital Fund and restores the lockbox. We need real investment, not window dressing.

Art is certainly a beautiful touch to an otherwise horrid looking and riding system. I don't think the current level of respect from commuters warrants any art.

 

I've seen people do the obnoxious with subway art. I think if stations are renovated, the art should be preserved, extracted and relocated to a new museum where proper respect can be paid.

 

Fabricating such detail is not easy and neither should vandalism to it.

 

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[bobtehpanda]

You know what would be nice? If they restored the skylights at the Archer Avenue stations.

[Eric B]

You mean Jamaica-VanWyck. (that was the only one with the upper windows). they're boarded up now (and they were probably vandalized and crappy looking before they did that), and I had wanted to send in an Employee Suggestion to replace them with glass bricks (like the lower level of Stillwell), but the online form hasn't been working.