Second Ave Subway Presents Opportunity, Risk For E Harlem: Study

EAST HARLEM, NY — New subway lines are rarely built in New York City, which means the planned extension of the Second Avenue Subway to East 125th Street represents a momentous change for the East Harlem neighborhood.

A coalition of more than 40 community groups, city agencies and elected officials — led by the group WE ACT for Environmental Justice — released a report Monday after two years of study containing recommendations to ensure that the change brought by the new subway line is beneficial to existing residents of East Harlem. The report, called "The East 125th Street Community Visioning Action Plan," details concerns East Harlem residents have about upcoming changes to the neighborhood — caused by the new subway and a rezoning plan passed in 2017 — and identifies four goals for the future.

The four goals identified by the report are:

1. Making East 125th Street an accessible and efficient transit center that addresses community needs;
2. Supporting existing East Harlem/El Barrio residents and culture while stimulating the local economy and increasing social services in the neighborhood;
3. Creating vibrant public spaces to support the community's social, economic and cultural needs;
4. Promoting environmental resilience and sustainability to promote community health and protect from extreme weather events.

"By giving the community a strong voice in the redevelopment of the area, particularly along the high-profile East 125th Street corridor, the City can ensure that the neighborhood emerges stronger both environmentally and economically without sacrificing the character and sense of community that has inspired generations to call it home," Peggy Shepard, Co-Founder and Executive Director of WE ACT for Environmental Justice, said in a statement.

Some specific actions the study recommends include: Planting new trees along East 125th Street to reduce heat and improve air quality, promote the use of green roofs and solar panels to reduce emissions, convert the old 125 Street and Park Avenue railroad station into space for local businesses, expanding sidewalks for safety and installing bike lanes for safety and to promote a more active lifestyle.

Achieving these goals will not come without challenges, according to the report. Much of East 125th Street currently struggles due to a combination of civic neglect, underinvestment, and short-sighted planning, according to the report.

There are also concerns about recent real estate speculation in the neighborhood. Some of the city's largest developers have bought up large swaths of land near East 125th Street in anticipation of the Second Avenue Subway extension, and groups fear that the new developments could accelerate gentrification and displacement in the low- and middle-income neighborhood.

These concerns led WE ACT to begin planning for the Second Avenue Subway extension back in September of 2017. The group's first meeting was attended by just 11 community stakeholders, but over the next two years the group engaged with city agencies, created a steering committee featuring dozens of community groups, held town halls and completed a survey of more than 200 East 125th Street residents and businesses.

"Between the rezoning and the subway extension, there is no question as to whether these changes are happening," Michael Velarde of WE ACT said in a statement. "But if the City, MTA, and others follow the community’s recommendations outlined in this report, El Barrio should emerge as a thriving neighborhood – strengthened socially, economically, and culturally – instead of being bulldozed for the benefit of a few developers at the expense of long-time residents and businesses."

The East 125th Street Community Visioning Action Plan has the support of local elected officials such as Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and City Council Member Diana Ayala. Advocacy groups such as Picture the Homeless, Tri-State Transportation Campaign and Community Voices Heard are also in favor of the plan.

Phase two of the Second Avenue Subway will extend the Q train from East 96th Street to East 125th Street with new stations at East 106th, 116th and 125th streets. The MTA is currently in the process of securing federal funding for the project after the Federal Transit Administration issued a "Finding of No Significant Impact" in November for the project's Environmental Impact Statement.

The project is expected to take nine years to complete and could cost as much as $6 billion, the MTA has previously stated. Areas near the new stations on East 106th, 116th, and 125th streets will experience worse traffic, bus stop relocation, loud noise and dust emissions during construction. Some residents and businesses will also be displaced should the MTA need to acquire additional properties within construction zones using eminent domain.