History of NYC Subways

Those urban denizens who rely on mass transit for their daily commute are often heard grumbling over how slow or crowded or expensive their train ride is. In light of the recent train wreck in Buenos Aires 1 (which was both gory and preventable), we would like to take a moment to reflect on the history of NYC's mass transit system. 

 
Postcard of Elevated Railroad "Cooper Institute", early 1900s of NYC's East Village  3

In the 1800s, the importance of rapid transit to urban growth and efficiency became evident. Elevated lines were already in effect in cities such as New York, Chicago and London but a discreet underground system that did not rely on steam power would be more ideal. Though it was technically possible to build a steam operated subway system, construction of an subterranean transportation system did not begin until 1901, when electricity could be used. 

 

A.P. Robinson's Plans for Subway (dated 1864), a steam-based prototype for our current system. 2

Our current system began as a privately owned company. In 1904, the the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) opened a 9.1 mile long subway line consisting on 28 stations (City Hall to 145th St) and within a few years opened lines to the Bronx and Queens, while the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BMT) began service to Brooklyn in 1915. 4

Bowling Green IRT Control House, an iron and glass subway entrance/control house by architects Heins & LaFarge, New York City circa 1905. Photo taken 2007 5

 

New Kawasaki train undergoing testing September 22, 2005 in the 145th Street A, C, B, D station. 

Over the last decade, the New York Transit Authority has made it a priority to upgrade its trains. Modernization and artful adaptive reuse is important to a changing society; it keeps straphangers moving and inspired. Consider the High Line for example, which has become a local source of pride and cultural tourism.

Having fallen into disuse, the city took ownership elevated freight rail line running up the west side of Manhattan along 10th Avenue. Friends of the High Line was founded in 1999 to preserve the public space, and campaigned to transform it through an open competition. In 2011, the second section, designed by Diller Scoffidio + Refro and James Corner Field Operation, opened to the public. 7

 

New York City High Line Park, photo by Jill Fehrenbacher, June 9, 2009 6

1  "Argentina Train Crash in Buenos Aires 'Kills At Least 49', Leaves Hundreds Injured

http://www.huffingtonpost.com

2 "Fifty Years of Rapid Transit" by James Blaine Walker, Chapter 3, Pioneer Plans for a Subway. www.nycsubway.org 

3 "Turn of the Century Cooper Square", posted November 12, 2009 on http://ephemeralnewyork.wordpress.com

4 "New York City Transit - History and Chronology". http://www.mta.info

5 "Battery Park Control House" by Michael, blogpost August 23, 2007 on The Masterpiece Next Door: All 500-Plus Manhattan Landmarks on the National Register of Historic Places, Blogged.

6  "New York's High Line Park in the Sky Opens Today" by Jill Fehrenbacher, blogpost June 9, 2009 on Inhabitat: Design Will Save the World. http://inhabitat.com

7 "ABOUT: High Line History" on High Line: The official web site of the High Line and Friends of the High Line. www.thehighline.org

8 http://en.wikipedia.org 

Tribeca, NYC

Here are some photos taken during a quick stroll down in Tribeca (the Triangle Below Canal). Tribeca was one of New York City's original residential neighborhoods with small freestanding colonial homes. 

An example is 2 White Street (above) which still stands today at the corner of West Broadway and White Street. During the boom of the industrial revolution, homes were replaced by industrial buildings and by the mid-19th century the area became a commercial hub.

Looking South down Hudson, we can see a range of building styles. Largely abandoned in the 1960s and 70s, artists moved in and used the vast industrial spaces for creative studios. In recent years, Tribeca has been transformed into a posh neighborhood. Bouley Restaurant now occupies the ground floor of 163 Duane Street.

Duane Park was purchased from Trinity Church in 1795, and named for James Duane, the first mayor of New York after independence. Notice the elegant horseheads in the ironwork fencing which runs along the triangular park between Duane and Hudson Streets, harking back to the days of horse-drawn carriages.

The park has been revamped numerous times over the centuries. This unique, squat building with an arched facade looks onto Duane Park from the north.

Fulton Fish Market, South Street Seaport, Manhattan January 2002

 The Fulton Fish Market had been operating in Lower Manhattan since 1807, with many of the extant buildings dating to 1882. Below are some photos taken before it was relocated to Hunts Point in the Bronx. The market consisted of several purpose-built warehouses, such as the high-ceilinged space shown in the first and second photos below, as well as the lowrise brick buildings which were part of an earlier cityscape.  The East River was the conduit for commerce in Manhattan until transportation modes changed and routes shifted west.

The Fulton Fish Market is now located in an indoor, fully refrigerated facility and is the nation's largest gathering of fish wholesalers in the country. Many famous chefs continue to visit the market daily to choose from the freshest catch.  Lynne visited the old market at 5 a.m. with her sketchbook in January 2002.

Preservation Loophole in Istanbul

In an effort to transform Istanbul into "the financial center of the world" Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is encouraging development of convention centers, shopping malls, luxury hotels and high-end villas, often at the cost of historic places, middle-class residents and public spaces.  Many previously protected sites are falling prey to developers.

For example,  Taksim Square, which has been an urban refuge since the 1940s, was previously an Ottoman military barracks that fell into disuse, which was demolished to create the park. But developers found a loophole in Turkey's laws on perserving historic buildings.

Photo of Taksim Square (Wikipedia) 

In an interview with NPR, Imre Azem said, "developers have long coveted this prime property but were blocked by laws protecting the city's green spaces. Then they hit on the idea [...] of using Turkey's laws on preserving historic buildings. In order to protect this already-demolished building, they're rebuilding it,"this new "historic building" will then house a shopping mall."

To read more on the development of Istanbul, click the link below.

http://www.npr.org/2012/02/01/146153016/in-booming-istanbul-a-clash-between-old-and-new 

In local news, historic preservationists admit defeat on Admiral's Row, in the Brooklyn Navy Yard which will soon be razed to make room for a supermarket.

Admirals Row as seen from Flushing Avenue



Read more here:
http://ny.curbed.com/tags/admirals-row
http://www.officersrow.org/