What kind of work is the MTA doing at the Seventh Avenue subway stop that takes an entire summer to complete?
That’s the question many Prospect Heighters have been asking themselves as they wait to cross Flatbush during their morning commute, or queue up to leave the station via the single stairwell on the way home.
Several residents said the long closure gave them hope that an elevator or escalator was being installed.
But alas no. According to an MTA spokesman, workers are replacing the current stairwell with a new one, because of deterioration. MTA spokesman Charles Seaton explained the extent of work via e-mail:
The project is a complete stair rehabilitation which includes lead paint abatement, removal of treads, refinishing the concrete at the stair, installation of new cast aluminum treads, stainless steel handrails, removal and replacement of frost proof tiles on the stairway walls, drain repair at the stair landing, new lighting, removal and replacement of street level concrete curb, landing pad and partial sidewalk, and entrance way railing. At this time the project is 60% complete and is on schedule to completed by 8/31/12.
Most residents Patch spoke with (including one on crutches) called the closure a minor inconvenience, but for at least one business, it’s a different story. A counterperson at , a take-out coffee and Jamaican patty shop next to the closed station entrance, said business has decreased significantly because many customers are choosing to take the 2/3 train at Grand Army Plaza until the entrance is re-opened.
