MTA Accuses NYC Landlords Of Stalling Second Ave Subway: Report

HARLEM, NY – There’s a signal malfunction on the Second Avenue subway expansion project.

In twin lawsuits first uncovered by Crain’s on Monday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is accusing the owners of three East Harlem apartment buildings of holding up progress on an expansion of the Second Avenue subway that will benefit an estimated 100,000 New Yorkers.

For at least a year, the MTA has attempted to enter 2100 Second Avenue, 2146 Second Avenue, and 2148 Second Avenue – between 108th and 111th Streets – to conduct pre-construction work.

Negotiations with property owners have stalled, and the MTA is now seeking a court order to open up access and prevent what the agency says would be “costly delays” to the $7.7 billion project.

The two landlords, according to property records cited by Crain’s, are Croman Realty Co., owned by landlord Steven Croman, which holds 2100 2nd Ave LLC, and Maksim S. Drivin, president of The Drivin Group, who owns 2146-48 Second Avenue DE LLC.

Neither responded to requests for comment, according to Crain’s.

Any further delay due to lack of access will result in “enormous” damages and harm future riders, the suit states.

Second Avenue Subway?

The planned Q train expansion will eventually add three new accessible stations at 106th Street, 116th Street, and 125th Street. The MTA estimates these lines will serve “more than 100,000 riders daily,” according to the lawsuits.

Construction of the expansion was put on hold after Governor Kathy Hochul indefinitely paused congestion pricing earlier this summer, although some work to relocate utility lines along Second Avenue will proceed while broader funding issues are resolved, according to Hochul's office.

Will the new stations in East Harlem ever be built?

It took the MTA 9 years to complete the first phase of the Second Avenue Subway, and the Q train has served 72nd, 86th, and 96th Street since 2017.