Gone to the Katz? MTA Quietly Reopens 57th Street, F Train Subway Station
The 57th Street Station, the northernmost 6th Avenue stop for F Trains, was always a little strange, serving for years as a terminal when budget crisis after budget crisis ended plans for a line extending to Lincoln Center before connecting crosstown at 63rd Street. Its unique, two-level design makes it clear that designers once had grander plans for it.
Today, reopened, it's less claustrophobic and better lit. On the upper level, open spaces call out for vendors and are partially answered with humanistic artwork, a series titled Metropolitan Faces, by 91 year old, native New Yorker Alex Katz.
The 23rd Street Station, reopened last month, featured fellow New Yorker William Wegman and mosaics inspired by his dog paintings, Weimaraners, his most popular work. You could almost imagine the MTA having a sense of humor.
Almost.
While the redesign didn't involve serious structural innovation and you're still forced to make counterintuitive turns to get through turnstiles to the platform, the tonal theme makes it feel airier and, a blessing for many, additional seating's been added to the lower level where all the real action of getting on an off F Trains is.
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