As part of Governor Cuomo’s initiative to transform New York State’s transportation infrastructure into the 21st Century, 31 subway stations were designated for fast paced modernization on a Design‐Build basis. Urbahn was the lead design firm on the team that was awarded the first the inaugural contract. Package 1 involved three subway stations on Brooklyn’s Fourth Avenue Line: Bay Ridge, 53rd Street and Prospect Avenue Stations. The goals of the project were to improve the customer experience through enhancement of station entrances and finishes, introduction of new passenger information systems, and installation of artwork. The project included the development of a range of industrial design elements that never before been employed within NYCT’s system. The Governor’s Office had established an aggressive schedule for design and construction, allowing for only 12 months from the Notice to Proceed to the final turnover of the completed stations. Our design team compressed the design timeframes of each package into a 4‐month period, helping to make the project an unprecedented success.
