Best of 2006 Awards
Gun Hill Road Subway Station
BEST OF 2006: Mass Transit
 The complete makeover of New York City Transit’s Gun Hill Road Station in the Bronx led one Best of 2006 judge to say, “I could see that in a movie.”
Should that prediction come true, an appropriate title for its cinematic debut would be “Reversal of Fortune.”
Prior to the $32 million renovation and reconstruction that broke ground in November 2001 and finished in February, the elevated station, platform, and tracks that serve the system’s 2 and 5 trains essentially divided the adjacent Williamsbridge and Baychester communities. The station building dates to 1917.
Oriented to face away from the busy intersection of White Plains and Gun Hill roads, the deteriorating station’s unusual configuration and midblock entrance isolated it from other nearby buildings and the greater neighborhood. Lacking a clearly defined transfer path to local and crosstown bus lines, the facility also made for a complicated option for transit system users.
To correct the Gun Hill Road Station’s deficiencies, the design by di Domenico + Partners of New York, the project’s architect, called for replacing the existing street-level entryway with a new 4,200-sq.- ft. structure that – instead of facing the middle of the block – now opens to a point 180 degrees opposite, right in front of the intersection.
The “about face” configuration provides a more convenient access point for transit riders while also enhancing the entrance with a landscaped plaza and larger pedestrian- friendly civic court with plantings, outdoor seating, and a canopied bus lane.
The new station’s structural steel frame is tucked neatly within the footprint of the elevated rail viaduct, while its service areas are wrapped in the same type of glazed Norman brick used throughout the city transit system. In addition, several types of glass panels enclose the station’s street-level waiting area, bringing natural light into the space.
The building’s interior also contains transit information booths, fare control, and other typical station features, such as an indoor newsstand.
The construction team, led by Judlau Contracting of College Point, N.Y., had to avoid disruptions to the transit agency’s 24-7 train and bus service, minimize inconveniences to passengers, and keep automobile traffic flowing smoothly through the area.
The effort to build the new station space involved various construction tasks, such as rehabilitation or reconstruction of the station’s platforms and the complete demolition of the old station structure. The team installed new escalators and an elevator, while also making upgrades to the mechanical and electrical systems.
In addition, the construction team rehabilitated structural steel around the station where necessary while also abrasive blasting and repainting various features of the old station that remained in place.
The new station space is now compliant with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.
In the end, the old station’s out-of-the-way entrance proved to be an advantage, allowing full access for passengers to the station lobby and elevated platforms while the new facility took shape. The team built a temporary pathway through the site to smooth the transition between the old and new passenger circulation routes.
One judge said the project was a success despite “all of the logistics of working around an operating subway.”
Key Players
Owner: New York City Transit
Architect: di Domenico + Partners
General Contractor: Judlau Contracting
Engineering: URS Corp.; Parsons Transportation Group; Mariano D. Molina
Electric: JB Electric
Plumbing: WDF
Metals: UAD Group
Mason: Navillus |
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