Oooh: Secret Subway Exits

In an article spanning all sorts of subway security, the Brooklyn Eagle takes a look at secret emergency exits throughout the system. Did you know that in Brooklyn Heights, there's a fake brownstone leading into the underground? They report that the three-story building "looks like any other on the cobblestone block, but it isn’t. It leads directly down to the nation’s largest subway system. If you opened the door [to exit], you would find yourself on a stoop, which is just part of the façade." (Kind of like Sesame Street?) The Heights in particular is home to many secret exits, unknown to most except for some locals. If you want to find the brownstone, it's the one armed with silent alarms, motion detectors and other hidden security. Better stick to the regular way out. UPDATE: Curbed threatens our city's security by posting photos of the decoy brownstone!

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By Jen Carlson in News on April 13, 2010 4:11 PM

Comments [rss]

dandmb50

It doesn't matter what city you live in they always say it's national security and don't tell. Give me a break obviously the bad guys have computers so they are gonna find out. And they have alarms on the doors, I hope so I don't think it's such a problem. The government like to make everyone paranoid all the time. Our emergency exits from the subway are clearly visible. Did they just make it a facade after 911? I don't think so.

Daniel ....... Toronto, CANADA

http://bit.ly/jgk9h7

potsmoker

The oddest nonresidential buildings in Willowtown are “the world’s only Greek Revival subway ventilator” at 58 Joralemon Street and the former Metropolitan Transportation Authority substation at 21 Willow Place. The ventilator was a private brownstone dating from 1847. The substation was built in 1908 in conjunction with the start of subway service to Brooklyn. As reported in the BKLYN magazine article, the building’s “cavernous interior once housed a battery of electrical devices that converted alternating current to the 600-volt direct current needed to power the IRT.”

OOOH...brooklyn eagle had an article about this in

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http://www.brooklyneagle.com/archive/category.php?category_id=23&id=14728

Proceeding toward the water, Joralemon offers more intrigue after crossing Hicks. The brownstone at No. 58 between Hicks and Willow Place built in 1847 just pretends to be a brownstone. Actually, it was transformed in 1908 into “the world’s only Greek Revival subway ventilator,” according to the AIA Guide to New York City. Its purpose is to allow release of air pressure from the Lexington Avenue subway tunnel that runs beneath the building. It can also be utilized as an emergency escape exit.

now lets get back online and look for for OLD news and make it NEW news....

kennycity

I love just down the street from this place. Though at first glance it does look like any normal brownstone, you soon realize that all the windows are boarded black and the door looks like it enters into some ring of hell. When the potholes exploded a few months ago, MTA workers used it for a few days. It was pretty cool.

potsmoker

"reflects concerns that a terrorist could use this passageway to sneak into the subway system or try to tamper with the ventilation."

HAHHAHAHAA

any terrorist could use a metrocard to enter the system dummies.....why go thru all that trouble when theres emergency exits all over the city, thousands of them...hahhaa

i wish i was a ghouliani type, someone is making money off all this hysteria nonsense!

pbjt

I'm (easily) confused. Why is this made to look like a house? The Brooklyn Eagle writes 'reflects concerns that a terrorist could use this passageway to sneak into the subway system'. So the bad guys already know what this 'house' is, right? Still cool though.

Wza

Cool!

matty

I didn't know about it. I think it's awesome!

There's a huge faux-apartment complex in London that functions in the same capacity, only much larger.

potsmoker

um this isnt a "SECRET" its been covered in brooklyn blogs, flickr, architecture journals, brooklyn local news, etc etc etc, etc and etc ad naseum,,,

curbed, gothamist and all the other fake news sites are just repeating the same "SCOOP"

easier to go to Furman street enter the tunnels through the well marked exits.

oh yeah... in case any of you ride the subway and noticed that someone took a wet paint sign and rearranged it to say 'Aint Wet'.... well thats news, update your facebook with a cute picture now!!!

americaonline

Well. Following links does wonders. Here's a 1992 article that lists the address.

http://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/13/travel/new-york-s-other-boroughs-brooklyn-from-the-heights-to-a-well-stocked-museum.html?pagewanted=1