BHA Issues “Call to Action” on Clark Street Station Closure

By on May 21, 2019 11:02 pm in 11201, Brooklyn Heights, News, Shopping, Transportation

The Eagle reports that the Brooklyn Heights Association has issued a “call to action” concerning the possible one year closure of the Clark Street subway station while its ramshackle, breakdown-prone elevators are repaired. The MTA has so far failed to give an answer as to whether it intends a complete shutdown. A complete shutdown would greatly inconvenience many subway riders, and could spell death to several businesses, some of long standing, in the arcade connected to the subway entrance.

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  • TeddyNYC

    Maybe the governor will come up with a solution like he did with the L train tunnel.

  • petercow

    Yes. One elevator every 20 minutes.

  • meschwar

    Just what we need. Another interference by Cuomo preventing reasonable so he can look like a hero by putting together a plan that would postpone inconveniences by not addressing the actual problem.

  • puffs

    Expecting help from our out of town Mayor instead?

  • CHatter

    Just hear me out–what if we shut down the BQE for a year (or forever) instead, and then build a park on top of the elevators for good measure?

  • karen

    Probably not a popular response, but in this case I think closing it for a year and getting it all done satisfactorily isn’t terrible. We are surrounded by subways in Brooklyn Heights and that station is terrifying. Have you ever walked those stairs? It is REALLY far down there, Let them do the elevators and do them right.

  • Daddyo

    I agree. Get it done right. It’s five blocks to the Borough Hall station. I’d much rather walk a bit than get stuck in one of those elevators — or have to walk those stinky stairs. These elevators were supposedly built (re-built?) using leftover air craft carrier parts — and renovated over four months in 2000 at a cost of $3.5MM. Hopefully this time the MTA really gets it done right (fingers crossed!)… https://www.nysun.com/new-york/brooklyns-clark-street-elevator-failed-400-times/53421/

  • Sweeties

    Isn’t it a shame that they didn’t have the foresight to repair the elevators during the 18 month, weekend shutdown, a couple of years ago?

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7nPOzGeyaw Arch Stanton

    Totally agree, best to just get it over with as quickly as possible.
    Back in the day there were people living in that stairwell, going down it was like descending into hell…

  • Nomcebo Manzini

    Hindsight is always great … but REALLY smart thinking says – as with the never-ending nonsense at the nearby High St. station with somewhat less complex escalators – the MTA is a gang that can’t shoot straight. They will probably NOT (yes, imo) do any better job with a 1-year shutdown than they will/would “incrementally.”

    Plain & simple – this saves some overpaid “managers” at the MTA a few headaches … and transfers same to thousands of Heightsers!

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7nPOzGeyaw Arch Stanton

    LOL, Really smart thinking would tell you it is impossible to replace an elevator “incrementally”

  • Roberto Gautier

    Ideas from the north of Brooklyn……Guestimators feel free to come up with an MTA time frame for the job.

    How long does it take to install an elevator? Actual on-site time for the elevator installation crews ranges from about two weeks for an accessibility lift, to four weeks for a hydraulic elevator, and six weeks for a traction elevator.*

    FAQ for New Construction | Delta Elevator Co Ltd, Ontario, Canada

    *Traction elevators are the most common type of elevators. Elevator cars are pulled up by means of rolling steel ropes over a deeply grooved pulley, commonly called a sheave in the industry. The weight of the car is balanced by a counterweight since 1900.

  • Eddyde

    Yes for a standard elevator system installed in new construction built to specification, that’s about right. However, this is a completely different scenario.

  • Nomcebo Manzini

    Come on. There are 3 shafts. Even ONE in service throughout is both viable & sensible. You have a way of distorting ANYBODY’s opinion that makes you think you’re being reasonable – or witty. Try being logical for a change!

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7nPOzGeyaw Arch Stanton

    The MTA says one elevator doesn’t have enough capacity to safely handle the amount of passengers, at least two elevators must be operational. Since there are only two shafts not three (the two right next to each other share a common shaft), so it would be impossible to replace only one of them at a time. Then think of what would happen if, more likely when, the only one elevator breaks down?

    There are of course many other considerations, like shared electrical and mechanical systems that need to be decommissioned. And of course, as someone else mentioned, structural repairs and possible abatement of toxic materials. All off which would be very difficult, if not impossible, to do while trying to keep some of the elevators working.

    Being logical alone will not gain you an intelligent opinion, one must have knowledge of the subject as well.