In the long history of the Second Avenue subway, Upper East Siders have done a solid job setting aside their hunger for better transportation to focus on the key issues. Namely, the ugliness of the ventilation shafts that are a big part of the subway's first phase. Those structures morphed from the original row house concept to something more utilitarian and more neighbor-enraging. The new design led to a string of complaints, a lawsuit, and even a request to turn the ventilation buildings into condos, so UESers can live in them instead of looking at them. The MTA isn't going for that, but did show up to a progress meeting earlier this month with a new set of renderings. See the differences? Second Avenue Sagas points out one: trees!
The MTA's three fresh drawings are meant to suggest other materials that might blend better with the neighborhood. Second Avenue Sagas' insta-review: "The first one — my favorite choice — incorporates the same brick as its neighbor on 72nd St. The tan one in the middle tries, but fails, to replicate the building next to it. The bottom grey one is too utilitarian for the Upper East Side. It’s not a realistic alternative as much as a warning of what could be." Other thoughts?
· Along Second Ave., building a better ancillary structure [Second Avenue Sagas]
· Second Avenue Subway coverage [Curbed]
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