PARK SLOPE — MTA New York City Transit Thursday announced the reopening of the stationhouse on the east side of Fourth Avenue that serves the Fourth Avenue station of the F and G lines.
The entrance, one of two facing each other on the opposite sides of Fourth Avenue, was closed for 40 years.
Its reopening, which is part of the overall renovation of the elevated Culver Viaduct, was done in response to a growth in residential development along Fourth Avenue and because of safety concerns about transit riders having to walk or run across the avenue to enter the station.
The work was completed by in-house forces with part of the funding secured by Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz ($2 million) and Assembly Member Joan Millman ($800,000).
“During the initial phases of this project, we decided it was the perfect opportunity to reopen the east side station house on Fourth Avenue,” said NYC Transit President Thomas F. Prendergast. “We are grateful to the elected officials whose contributions allowed us to do even more than we had planned at this historic station.”
The station house has been completely restored with new lights, floors, repainted walls and new turnstiles.
“The opening of the east side entrance to the Fourth Avenue-Ninth Street station is a big win for the community and the first stage of what will be the eventual transformation of Fourth Avenue into a grand ‘Brooklyn Boulevard,’ ” said Markowitz. “Soon, the area adjacent to this entrance will be filled with retail, and the exterior archways and windows will be opened and restored to their original glory.”
“As a long-time supporter of improving mass transit, I am proud to have provided funding to improve the Fourth Avenue-Ninth Street Station and helped to restore the station to its former glory,” Assemblywoman Joan Millman (D-Brownstone Brooklyn) said.
“The renovations at the station are well underway and the transformation of this station will serve as a catalyst for turning Fourth Avenue into Brooklyn’s grand boulevard. Over the last 10 years, Fourth Avenue has seen an enormous amount of residential growth and this has increased the demand for mass transit in both Park Slope and Gowanus. The reopening of the east side station house on Fourth Avenue is in response to these demands,” she said.
Although this entrance is now open, there is much more work to come. The set of doors leading to and from Fourth Avenue are temporary and the doors leading to and from 10th Street will remain closed at this time. Both sets of doors are scheduled to be completed later this year.
In addition, the historic arch spanning Fourth Avenue, which had been closed in with advertising billboards on both sides, will be restored. This will give the station a lighter, more open look.
