More Details Emerge on 4th Ave. Subway Reno
The refurbishment of the 4th Avenue and 9th Street Station, which was reported on by the Brooklyn Paper in November and hinted at during Marty Markowitz’s State of the Borough Address, were explained in greater detail at last night’s CB6 board meeting. Marty Markowitz has secured $2 million and Assembly Member Joan Millman’s gotten $800,000…
The refurbishment of the 4th Avenue and 9th Street Station, which was reported on by the Brooklyn Paper in November and hinted at during Marty Markowitz’s State of the Borough Address, were explained in greater detail at last night’s CB6 board meeting. Marty Markowitz has secured $2 million and Assembly Member Joan Millman’s gotten $800,000 for the renovations. The job will include exterior brick work, repairs for the Culver Viaduct, replacement of lighting, and restoration of entrance globes and entrance doors. Perhaps the most notable improvement is the re-opening the east side entrance to the station, which will eliminate thousands of pedestrian crossings on 4th Avenue. The second exciting plan is repairing and filling the dormant retail space near 4th and 10th. All this should be complete (fingers crossed!) by the end of 2011, with new retail in place by 2012. We’re unsure if the renderings put out way back in 2008, when the rehabilitation was loftier and more expensive, are still part of the plan.
Photo by Portlyn Snapshots
“But I agree with the OP, our subways will never be beautiful, just make it show up on time and get me to where I need to go.”
not necessarily true. in moscow the subways are like museums and the trains arrive in 2 minutes, often less.
agh! such cynicism! of course this station can be beautiful. All the bones are there, just take down that damn billboard, repaint it and restore the glass. Not only will the station itself be nicer, but the entire area would be greatly improved.
It would be nice if the windows overlooking fourth ave could be restored.
But I agree with the OP, our subways will never be beautiful, just make it show up on time and get me to where I need to go.
My mom tells me that when the Smith and 9th Street station was first opened (with all the windows in place that are now painted over) it was almost a tourist attraction, the views were so great.
I don’t think the renderings from 2008 will be happening. It’s too bad, that would have opened the station up but at least some improvements are being made. The east side entrance is definitely welcome news.
In fact the staircase is already operational – it’s where you transfer from the F to the Manhattan-bound R, and walk right past a sealed entrance to the street.
It’s about time they reopened the east entrance. I was wondering about that twenty years ago. It would seem that leasing out the retail space on that side would pay for whatever costs are involved in clearing out an old staircase and putting in a few turnstiles.
Randi, if you are still trying to prove you are not a troll, your post here isn’t helping.
Agree with crown — view from the top of the temproary overpass is amazing. Not sure but I think reopening the windows on the platform got axed from this job, though it would be nice if they did that. Opening east side of 4th and getting retail will be great, though it will hurt the new coffee place on the west side.
They should allow corporate sponsorships of stations like this – sort of an adopt-a-highway approach. The Station has no artwork or anything else to preserve so sell naming rights, indoor and outdoor advertising to a single or multiple corporations – thing hangs over 4th ave so you should be able to get a few million at least.