Rehabilitating the Most Beautiful Subway Station in the City
by Henry StewartPage 3 of 6
2. Clear the Arch Windows; for that matter, all the windows!
When a temporary platform went up at the station while construction is completed on the Manhattan-bound side, it offered commuters new views that had previously been reserved for residents of the nearby high-rise developments: sweeping views of the rooftops, skyscrapers, and signs rising all around. When the platform is inevitably dismantled, the views will disappear, but the MTA can make similar vistas lasting by removing the layers of light-blocking paint that currently cover every window on the arch facing Fourth Avenue. The city is no longer the graffiti-blighted dystopia it was in the 1970s: we can have nice things again, like views and natural light. In fact, every window in the station should be made transparent again, allowing streams of sunlight to flood into the platforms and indoor passageways that run parallel to Ninth and Tenth streets.
