By Cassandra Hirsch

2nd Avenue Subway Construction Is

Causing Businesses to Close

 After a long week, I couldn’t wait to go get some pizza from my favorite pizza place, only to be greeted by a sign that said “Closed, Out Of Business.” Right in front of the pizza place was the 2nd avenue subway construction. That’s when I realized that the 2nd avenue subway was the main reason that my favorite pizza place was closed. This really isn’t a great time for business with the noise, dynamite and blocked sidewalks. So it makes sense they had to close down, even though when the subway is done it will be great for these businesses.

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This is a picture of the 2nd avenue subway construction, as you can see it blocks up a lot of the side walk and street.

This is a newly closed market on 2nd Avenue. There are many shops that have for rent signs on 2nd Avenue that are near the construction sight.

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Businesses that are being affected by the subway construction are trying to grab your attention as you walk by, with flowers or signs with catchy phrases on them. They are probably going to use other ways too until the construction is finished.

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The MTA is trying to help by attracting people to the business affected by the construction. Signs like this one on the right, are located all up and down 2nd avenue.

Talk about a drive by,The MTA is also putting signs for business on the street side, since the subway construction is blocking the store fronts from being seen. This way cars and people walking by can see where the stores are located.

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This building on 2nd Avenue is for sale, but right now might not be the best time to buy because living next to subway construction doesn’t interest many people. However, once the construction is finished, in 2017, this building would be a very popular location for buyers.

 

Construction Taking Over 2nd Avenue

2nd Avenue in New York City, a place in our minds that used to be a beehive of shops and restaurants specializing in everything from everywhere, and us the bees that went to shop and eat, now reminds us of a place more like a warzone. The loud beeps and honks of NYC traffic have been replaced by warning signals and blasting explosion near subway construction sites. Now when we walk the streets there are fewer people and many more out of business signs. In an interview with Kathleen Hirsch, who lives on 2nd Avenue, she said, ‘‘Shops and restaurants are closing because of the subway construction, which blocks businesses unless people would like to take a maze to get to them’’.  

In fact there are 31 shops and restaurants that are closed on 2nd avenue and that number is still rising. Almost all business have had their profits cut 50 percent in the last 3 years. The Second Avenue business association was created for businesses affected by subway construction. They are trying to make the MTA pay for or help them make up for the revenue lost during the time of construction. “New Yorkers don’t want to go out of their way more than a block and a half for service’’ says Faith Hope, council of leasing and sales at prudential Douglas Elliman real estate. The subway construction is causing businesses to fail. In fact the MTA tried to build a subway in Harlem, but that stopped because the local businesses complained and lost revenue. Even though the construction is causing business to drop, it will be great for a lot of people when this construction is done in 2017. Maybe it will become the beehive of shops and restaurants it was once again. Those of us that live on the Upper East Side can help out business by stopping in having a snack from our favorite local restaurant, or buying a gift from a nearby shop that is being affected by the construction.

In an interview with Kathleen Hirsch, an Upper East Side resident, she said she has seen two restaurants or shops closed on each block in her neighborhood. She thinks it is because of the subway construction and because of lease’s rising. She also had a personal experience to share, ‘’There is a restaurant called Patsy’s on 2nd avenue and it moved a year and a half before the subway construction. Then when the construction started there was accidentally a dynamite explosion right where the restaurant used to be. If Patsy’s didn’t move to 1st avenue, it would have blown up or been very damaged. I agree with Kathleen completely.