By Gus Saltonstall
A vacant commercial space within an Upper West Side train station has been transformed into a “busking station” for musical artists as part of a new MTA initiative.
The new space, dubbed the “Sound Booth,” is now open inside of the West 81st Street B and C station.
The project is part of an initiative announced in the fall by the MTA to “reinvent subway retail locations with arts or cultural spaces and other creative non-commercial uses to enhance passenger experience.”
The new train station space was created in collaboration with Art on the Ave, a nonprofit founded on the Upper West Side that transforms vacant street storefronts into art galleries and installations. The Columbus Avenue Business Improvement District also played a part in brining the new space to life.
“The Sound Booth is the ultimate busking station. We want to bring music to the space so all can enjoy their commute and journey,” Barbara Anderson, the founder of Art on the Ave, told West Side Rag in an email. “We want all artists to feel supported and safe in what they do and this is a wonderful use of a space that has been vacant for a long time.”
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What a beautiful bedroom that will become in the off hours!
If you look closely at the first picture, there’s a gate that can be pulled shut and locked. Organizations rent out the space (it’s not open to randos/whoever strolls up with a trumpet) so likely the group will share a key that lets whoever is the last one out lock the performance area so it does not become a “bedroom.”
You can literally see the sliding door in the first picture, this will certainly be closed off when not used.
You are right,. Hopefully the powers that be thought this through and the space will be closed off when there are no performers? Wishful thinking….
Finally, someone with a good idea. This type of “out of the box” thinking is what we need to reinvent our city.
You can read my comment to learn why I think this is a terrible idea. I would love to know why you think it’s a “good” one. I will say I agree out of the box and reinventing is good… when a problem is being solved. This just seems to create a few additional ones on top of the many that already exist.
“We want to bring music to the space so all can enjoy their commute and journey…”
There is already so much noise pollution in NYC and in the subway. The last thing I want to do is be subjected to some musician of questionable/unknown talent adding more noise while I’m waiting impossibly long for the train to arrive.
If anything, by placing the performance space at the front of the platform, you can easily reduce your exposure to the music by moving further down. Plus, by being in a more confined space rather than in the middle of the platform per usual, I’d think the music won’t echo as much through the tube.
Due to the number of homeless/mentally unstable people in the subway, I no longer feel safe standing at the ends of platforms. The front and end cars are also where problem passengers (e.g. people ranting, people smoking, homeless, etc.) seem to like the most.
Exactly…. so given the busking area in this station is at the end of the platform you’ll move further in toward the center of the platform, as it sounds like you do anyway, away from both the things you’re seeking to avoid.
Really? They can enhance the passenger experience by running the trains on time, removing the homeless and stopping the fare evaders. Show me a single soul who wants to stay down there a second longer than necessary for something like this
You don’t have to listen or watch. The people who want to, can. It’s a civilized idea and has more to do with alleviating the difficulty of taking subways in the heat of the summer than complaining about things that are not so easy to fix. You lose nothing by this; but those of us who want to see things change when they can will applaud this.
But people *are* being forced to listen to this music while they wait. Having to listen to one more sound (in a space with poor acoustics, natch) does absolutely nothing to make waiting for a train on a 90+ degree platform less difficult.
no one has to stay down there longer to enjoy. it is something to enjoy while you wait for the train or a nice moment as you pass by.
“Enjoy” assumes that you like the kind of music they’re playing and are in the mood for a concert. I’d rather choose when and where I listen to music and not be forced into hearing it when I’d prefer quiet to cacophony.
So if you’re trying to get on or off the train a crowd will be standing around, further blocking your way?! And with so many jumping or being pushed onto the tracks, encouraging a crowd near them really doesn’t seem like the move. How does that “enhance passenger experience”?!
Ms. Anderson says, “We want to bring music to the space so all can enjoy their commute and journey.” but not “all” enjoy music during that time especially since many are traveling early in the morning or late in the day after a long day.
Lastly, another word about safety. Ms. Anderson mentions artists feeling safe which is great, but in a subway station the passengers’ safety needs to take precedence.
I’m surprised, all three comments so far are of the “BAH HUMBUG” variety. Why are people so riled up over this? Adding a little art to life in unexpected places is a good thing, in my opinion. Who is really hurt by this?
I posted my hesitations about it also but it was not published for some reason.
I am supportive of musicians in the concourses at Times Square, and things like that. But this is just creating a place for people to sleep. And it is a smaller space where congestion is a problem and it is hard to get away from the music if that is not what you want to hear.
Is this my biggest problem in life? No. But they have bigger initiatives to tackle than this.
I also like the “keep it simple” philosophy on the arts – I love how the 86th Street 1 station features art by local students rather than wasting money commissioning work as they did in some of the 2nd Ave. subway stations.
It won’t be a place to sleep – It will obviously be closed when there aren’t performances
“Why are people so riled up…” Why are you asking when the reasons people (myself included) are upset have already been stated?! Again, it’s a safety issue and it adds to the noise pollution.
One positive may be that having some presence in subway stations may deter some types of crime just by not having waiting passengers feeling isolated on the platform.
I love live music in the subway, art in vacant storefront windows, poetry in the subway cars. Such an unexpected delight. More art!!
Do you enjoy the ‘music’ in the Times Square Station near the 1,2, and 3 lines?
Its deafening…literally.
Sure, more art is nice but not at the expense of people’s peace and safety.
I would love to see one post on this site where people don’t complain!
That’s ironic, you’re contributing to the complaints by complaining about them.
How about a nice police booth that’s manned 24/7 with a charging station for their phones (and tasers)?!
Excellent what a fabulous idea!
Whoever came up with that shows there very creative and developing our new generation cultures.
Bravo!!!!
What does CMP stand for? Whatever it is, it sounds mighty “important”.
I read all the comments and interestingly enough I agree with all of them even though represent opposite points of view.
Love the idea in general, but am very concerned about the space of already small outdated platforms.
My “passenger experience” is certainly NOT “enhanced” by loud blaring music.
I would much rather get rid of buskers altogether. They are inevitably annoying and intrusive. The 42nd St. station is always subject to infernal noise and needs to be avoided. If this measure helps contain them and minimize the noise pollution they produce, fine. But it would be much better to ban them altogether and allow passengers some relative peace and tranquility in their own heads, without these talentless intruders on our thoughts.
I thought that space would have been used as part of the elevator project.
the elevator will be placed a little further south – basically in the space where the staircase to the lower platform is now!
I must be the rare person that can’t stand the music buskers/homeless ‘perform’ on the train. There is so much noise to begin with as well as dealing with homeless/mentally ill that the idea of more music is the last thing I want. I see nothing good coming from more music on the train platform, as if it’s not unpleasant enough already. IfI need music on the platform or train I’ll use my AirPods Of all the things to improve the customer experience underground why in God’s name add to the misery
This seems like a great idea!! But then I read the sourpusses complaining in the comments. Ya could be right, you know, but I’ll wait and see myself how the music sounds in the space and what kind of acts are chosen before I start grumbling or praising it to the skies. Theoretically, I applaud the effort to create opportunities for the arts in unused spaces.
Is there absolutely nothing that Upper West Siders won’t argue about? Do you all have too much time on your hands?
Upper West Siders can multi-task.
What a great idea!