The MTA and local politicians celebrated the opening of a new entrance at William Street yesterday. (Photo courtesy of New York City Transit)
As the MTA’s general capital future remains unknown, its funded projects are moving forward at a brisk pace. Yesterday morning, MTA officials and New York politicians gathered in Lower Manhattan to celebrate the opening of a new entrance at Williams St. that leads into the Fulton St. complex. Overall, the Transit Center is now more than 50 percent complete and on target for its 2014 opening.
“We have reached yet another significant milestone as we move forward to complete what will become a landmark transportation facility,” MTA Chairman and CEO Jay Walder said. “Once complete, this complex will provide our customers with a more seamless experience at this major downtown hub. The Transit Center will improve travel for hundreds of thousands of daily commuters and Lower Manhattan residents and visitors while providing a modern and convenient retail location.”
The new entrance — located at 135 William St. — provides immediate access to the 7th Ave. IRT platform and the former Nassau St. stop on the IND. Next year, the MTA will open entrances at 150 William St. and 129 Fulton St. that will allow for similar improvements.
As part of this entrance, the MTA included a restored mural — seen below — and a gate from the McAlpin hotel. These items had previously been installed on the A/C/ station but were removed in 2009. The mural is one of six being refurbished for the Fulton St. Transit Center. It certainly looks nice. Whether it’s worth the federal expenditure remains in doubt.
Click through for a view of the Marine Grill mural.
The refinished Marine Grill mural decorates the new entrance at 135 William Street. (Photo courtesy of New York City Transit)
22 comments
That actually looks surprisingly nice. I was afraid we were in for another abortion like the Myrtle-Wyckoff rehab. However, I still don’t see why they need that huge headhouse.
I like the Myrtle-Wyckoff station. It’s also one of the cleanest in the system. That station is why I decided to live 3 blocks from it.
It’s not a bad station overall, but the headhouse is one ugly example of architecture.
It’s really an oddball design, and wholly inconsistent with the character of the nabe.
There is no consistency in that neighborhood. But I tend to think buildings should reflect their time. It’s odd sure, but it someohow works. Certainly better than the fast food joints with huge parking lots that sit next to both the Myrtle-Ave and Knickerbocker station. Those are such horrible urbanism.
I just wish they would fill the retail spaces in the Myrtle Wyckoff station. It would be a great place for a bike and repair station. Or a diner. Anything other than just being unused.
I dunno. To the south Bushwick has a fairly consistent character, and to the north Ridgewood does. Heck, Ridgewood-like construction is evident pretty deep into Bushwick, particularly to the southeast of the station.
You don’t have to go too far from Myrtle-Wyckoff to find fast food joints and vast parking lots either. Seems to me it was a nicer area at one time that got pummeled by urban renewal policies. Incidentally, IIRC, it was going to be on the corridor of a Moses-era highway that never came to fruition. That may have something to do with how it turned out.
It’s a functional station, as far as the subway is concerned anyway. It’s just fugly. If I had a criticism about the functionality, it’s that it really could have been developed to include more retail and housing – maybe even being six or eight stories high (consistent with other buildings around there), and actually been a revenue generator for the MTA.
Wow, that looks clean, and almost, well, nice! … are you sure this is the NYC subway?!
Dont worry. In 6 months it will look 30 years old. Just look at South Ferry Station. They hired the italian mob to build it. http://bkabak.wpengine.com/201.....ment-71387
http://www.plazaconstruction.c.....r-contract
Yep. The mob is building Fulton Street too.
Eyy… yous guys have a lil problem with us Italians doin a little con-struck-shun?
I think Federal dollars should be spent to beautify public spaces (especially transit centers) for it means that even in the face of budgetary crisis the importance of beauty in city planning (and reintegration of historical markers) is still alive and well. I certainly don’t want the MTA to fall into a total utilitarain mindset. Give me something to ponder, to think about, to gaze upon during my daily commute.
That faux-brick looks tacky and cheap for a billion+ dollar project.
I too can’t believe this is what we get for all our money! The “design” is a visual mess which isn’t helpful for people on the move.
For some reason, many new subway stations around the world are beautiful works of art and we just get more of the same utility inspired drivel.
And it IS clean; for now.
At this point I’m just glad they at least did faux-brick and not drab concrete. As for the murals, yes, please keep them. Worth the money. They are an important part of NYC subway history; especially with the IRT, which decorated most of its stations wonderfully when first opened.
Looks nice, except for that “via (A)(C) platform” tag on one of the signs. Hopefully that congested route will be gone soon.
The actual MTA.info article, by the way, notes that the new (A)(C) mezzanine will have “LCD-lit advertising panels on corridor walls.” By “LCD-lit”, I assume they mean dynamic/electronic, not just backlighting. It will be interesting to see how these work, how well they work, how much money they bring in, and how long they last.
It won’t be gone ever, at least not as part of this project, except to get to the J/Z to Broad Street. The A/C mezzanine has always been split into two – and will always be split into two – by the J/Z tracks, which block access between the east and west halves of the station complex.
So to reach the J/Z to Brooklyn or the 4/5 from this entrance, you will always have to go down to the A/C platform and back up. There’s simply no other way across, aside from remaining on the street until you’ve crossed Nassau (which is what all seasoned users of this station do).
http://www.mta.info/capconstr/.....or_cb1.pdf
you guys are a little too hard on the subway here.
The main station headhouse itself won’t be in faux brick. The reason that this was done, was probably to match the surrounding architecture outside (just go outside)
Ultimately, everyone complains that NYC doesn’t have nice station, this project is essentially a massive station renovation for a chunk of stations in the financial district, along with the building of a new station center. I think this is pretty important. Other massive renovations have proven very successful, Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn specifically comes to mind, that place is beautiful compared to the way it used to be.
I always thought that the funds from the WTC station should have been diverted to this project, the presence of two station houses within blocks of each other that are interconnected will be a little silly.
is it me or does the top pic look like a stairwell from a high school?
lol
A beautiful billion dollar station with the same crappy service – service that ever so slowly is sliding inexorably downhill – downstairs on the tracks. So what was accomplished? Nothing!
ADA access. If the MTA is smart, this will be used to eliminate vast numbers of interboro paratransit trips.
[…] into the Fulton Street Transit Center, which is scheduled to be fully completed in 2014. Go to 2nd Avenue Sagas to read more and see photos. Related Posts:Inside The Fulton Street Transit Hub Transit […]
I’m not complaining about them, but what exactly do the metal grill and tile mosaic from the Hotel McAlpin at 34th St/Herald Square have to do with the Fulton St station complex? Couldn’t the MTA have found a use for them in the Herald Sq station?