NYC NOW East Harlem Awaits Second Avenue Subway. But at What Cost?
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Jul 19, 2025 Ramsey Khalifeh, a WNYC reporter specializing in transportation, discusses the long-anticipated Second Avenue subway project and its implications for East Harlem. He highlights the community's mixed emotions, balancing hope for better accessibility against fears of gentrification. The dialogue touches on the history of delayed transit investments and the emergence of a business improvement district aimed at revitalizing the area. Through resident testimonials, Khalifeh paints a vivid picture of a neighborhood on the brink of transformation, yet anxious about its future.
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Century-Long Subway Delay Explained
- The Second Avenue subway has been delayed for over a century due to fractured private subway companies and economic crises.
- The project finally began restarting under the public MTA after 1969 but suffered setbacks from fiscal crises.
Safe Injection Site Near Crime Hotspot
- Michael Brown, a homeless East Harlem resident, visits a safe injection site near 125th Street subway daily.
- The station area suffers from high violent crime rates and open drug use, affecting commuters and locals.
Use BID to Sustain Cleanup
- Establishing a business improvement district (BID) secures dedicated funding for ongoing neighborhood cleanup.
- Organizing local businesses ahead of subway opening helps prepare the community for upcoming changes.
