Wide Range of Enhancements for Customers and Riders Includes Enhanced Lighting, Countdown Clocks, Improved signage, Wi-Fi connectivity, Security Cameras, New Street-Level Canopies with Digital Displays and New Art;
33 Stations Undergo Top-to-Bottom Expedited Renovations; New Station Constructed With Design-Build Contract Opens Ahead of Schedule

Pictures of the new 53rd St.  Station Here. Pictures of the old 53 St.  Station Here.

MTA New York City Transit today opened the new 53 Street  station in Sunset Park, Brooklyn ahead of schedule. Completed in less than six months, the new station is the first of 33 to undergo extensive, accelerated renovations as part of a broader program aimed at improving the New York City Transit system. The MTA is undertaking component and renewal work at more than 170 other stations. The new 53 street Station includes countdown clocks at each of its five entrances, enhanced LED lighting, WiFi connectivity, new digital displays throughout the station, USB ports, and an upgraded security system. In the fare control area, glass barriers have replaced metal bars, enhancing sightlines and allowing more light to enter the station. A pair of the station’s entrances feature new canopies. Other upgrades include wayfinding floor tiles for the visually-impaired, new handrails, stair treads, wall tiles, granite flooring, and light rail fixtures.

The station was completed under a design-build contract which designates a single team to be responsible for the design and construction of an entire project. Design-build ensures seamless coordination between all contractors on a project and that work is completed in the shortest possible time frame. The MTA is utilizing design-build for all 33 stations that are a part of this initiative.

“We got the job done quickly and efficiently. Our teams worked day and night to complete work on this extensively renovated station in just a little over five months,” said Ronnie Hakim, Managing Director, MTA. “As a result, customers who use the station will now have a wide array of new tools to manage their commutes, including digital screens, countdown clocks located before the turnstiles and on the platforms, USB ports, and Wi-Fi connectivity. And this is just the beginning – we look forward to opening enhanced stations at locations across the city.”

The station also includes a new mosaic art installation from Mickalene Thomas, an internationally renowned Brooklyn artist. The collage-like design juxtaposes textile patterns with the imagery of plants found in New York, bringing the beauty of nature and domestic interiors into the station. A repeating geometric pattern of emanating concentric rings carries throughout the piece like a photo flash or solar flare. The mosaic was commissioned by MTA Arts & Design.

The project was awarded on November 30, 2016 along with two other stations, Prospect Avenue Station and Bay Ridge Avenue Station, as part of a fast tracked design build project. In order to accelerate the project, the 53 Street Station was closed on March 27, 2017, giving the contractor the ability to complete the work in the shortest possible time frame.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams: "I'm pleased to see the 53rd Street  station reopen for the straphangers of Sunset Park. Greater investment in our mass transit infrastructure is critically needed across our borough to advance the safety and reliability of service, and today's announcement is a step toward that larger imperative. It is additionally appreciated that this design enhancement campaign is kicking off in Brooklyn, a borough whose riders deserve some good news."

New York State Assemblyman Felix W. Ortiz: “Our newly renovated 53rd Street subway station represents the best for our Sunset Park commuters. The new enhancements will make riding the subway safer, more convenient and user friendly. The reopening is part of our effort to improve service and upgrade our mass transit system.”

Council Member Menchaca: “Local small businesses and tens of thousands of riders have been affected by the months-long closure of three local R line subway stations in Sunset Park and Bay Ridge. I welcome the early completion of construction at 53rd Street station. I thank the MTA for listening to Sunset Park residents and working for better communication and service change notices posted in the languages of our neighborhood. I look forward to working with the MTA on the other station and line renovations coming to Sunset Park.”

Brooklyn Community Board Seven Chair Daniel Murphy: “We would like to thank Governor Cuomo and the MTA for working with the Community Board to improve the 53rd Street station and look forward to working with our agencies and elected officials to continue to build an efficient and affordable mass transit system for the district's residents for the next century.”