Sunset residents, groups, Menchaca cry foul on 53rd Street subway station closure

When the MTA fails Sunset Park, it stands up and fights back.

As the authority begins its long-awaited work on three train station in the $72 Million Station Modernization Project, Councilmember Carlos Menchaca was joined by residents, local leaders and organizations outside the 53^rd Street station on Thursday, March 23 to express their disappointment with the lack of communication and alternatives, given that the stop will close during the six-month renovation period that begins Monday, March 27 at 5 a.m.

“The MTA promised to bring subway stations improvements but they’ve delivered an insult to Sunset Park and the thousands of people who depend on the R train and the 53^rd Street station for their livelihood,” Menchaca said, contending, “They failed to communicate about the six-month closure of this subway station in any effective way.”

Menchaca was among those who implored the MTA to put up signs and do community outreach in languages spoken in Sunset Park, such as Spanish, Chinese and Arabic, but that did not happen.

“Those are the languages for our community,” he added.  “If you’re going to be respectful to our community and if you’re going to be a city agency doing work here, you need to bring the languages that are reflected in our diverse community. Just a week ago, the MTA posted a couple of English language notices in one place near the turnstile but nothing on the street level.”

“As a community board member, I’m doubly outraged,” said Vice Chair of Community Board 7 Cesar Zuniga. “We allow the board to be a platform to have these kinds of conversations. We’ve called them out on it and we’re going to stay on top of it and expect better from our local agencies.”

Neighbors Helping Neighbors tenant organizer Marcela Mitaynes, who stated that most of her outreach is done in Spanish, is also miffed by the MTA’s lack of multi-language signage. “How is it possible that you’re coming to our community and not giving information in our language?” she asked. “Why is it that there are signs [in Spanish] of the increase in the MTA’s fare and no information about a change that’s going to impact us for months without a specific date when it will end?”

Eric McClure, executive director at StreetsPAC, a political action committee, agreed. “The MTA is a popular whipping boy and sometimes it’s justified, sometimes it’s not,” he said. “This is a case of a self-inflicted wound. The governor released a press release on November 16 of last year announcing this station would be part of the renovation program, so they had months to prepare the community for this.”

Indeed, the effect of the work is already being felt, said Menchaca. “The same private contractor gearing up for this project closed the station entrance, disrupted local streets, took parking from the avenue and side streets, and impacted our local businesses without offering any communication about that before they came in,” said Menchaca. “Before the station closed, they already had an impact. None of that was communicated.”

In addition, speakers blasted the MTA for not providing adequate alternatives for customers who use the 53rd Street station and the other two stations in the project — the Bay Ridge Avenue station closing on Saturday, April 29 and the Prospect Avenue Station closing on June 5. According to the MTA, during the closures, customers for all three affected stations are encouraged to use nearby subway stations, the B37 bus route or the B63 route, which run on Third and Fifth Avenues parallel to the R line in the area.

“While walking a few extra blocks might not prove to be a hardship for most, it’s a hardship for some,” said Melissa Del Valle Ortiz, a 25-year resident of Sunset Park’s project based Section 8 housing. “People who walk with canes and have a physical disability and who find it difficult to breathe, for instance, have to walk up to an extra eight blocks.”

“We’re underserved,” added commuter Peter Wong. “I don’t understand why we don’t have shuttle buses, instead of asking people to walk all the way to the express stop, which is pretty far. If you’re disabled you’re going to have a harder time.”

But, the end result, the MTA contends, will benefit residents, as will the 24-hour access that the contractors will have. The MTA has worked with consultants Grimshaw Architects to study and revise existing design guidelines for stations and facilities, with a focus on identifying ways to improve their appearance, usage, way finding and the flow of foot traffic.

“These first three stations to be renovated represent the start of a new age for our subway system. By using the design-build method, we are putting the onus on one contractor to get the work done seamlessly and on time,” said MTA Interim Executive Director Ronnie Hakim. “The emphasis is on giving them complete access to the stations and the ability to get in, get done and get out as quickly as possible.”