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Select Bus Service Is Coming To Staten Island

Posted by
on May 21st, 2012 at 12:59 pm

Staten Island bus riders, I have some great news for you. MTA NYC Transit has just announced that the highly successful Select Bus Service will be coming to Staten Island. The service will be making its debut in September on the S79. Here is the lowdown:

In a continuation of the ongoing effort to improve and upgrade bus travel throughout the City, MTA New York City Transit will roll out Select Bus Service (SBS) along the S79 this September. The route, which travels along Hylan Boulevard — the busiest bus corridor on Staten Island — carries 8,900 customers on an average weekday and serves as a major link between the Staten Island Mall and the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn.

SBS is a high-performance bus system incorporating the efficiency features of light-rail transit without the limitations and capital expense of a fixed-rail system. A resounding success along the three corridors where SBS is currently in operation, the introduction of SBS to Staten Island is expected to reduce travel times by 20 percent between the Staten Island Mall and Bay Ridge.

Designated bus lanes, traffic signal priority, fewer stops and easily identifiable low-floor buses will combine to create a substantial improvement in bus travel times. Like the other areas where SBS has been introduced, customers will benefit from improved service reliability and the improvements will also be shared by the users of other routes traveling along the corridor.

“The introduction of SBS to the Island will improve service not only for S79 riders, but also for customers using local and express buses routed along Hylan Boulevard,” said NYC Transit President Thomas F. Prendergast. “We realize that Staten Island is extremely bus dependent and we are working to improve services as much as possible for the Islanders who use our buses daily. SBS will go a long way toward achieving that goal.”

Unlike SBS in the Bronx and Manhattan, however, the S79 will not have off-board fare collection. A study of the route shows that boarding times are relatively short because boarding patterns are highly dispersed.

Along the route, S79 riders can connect with R train at 86th Street, in Brooklyn, the Staten Island Railway at the Eltingville Station and express and local buses at the Eltingville Transit Center.

While the S79 SBS will replace S79 local service, local service will continue to be provided on Richmond Avenue by the S59 and along Hylan Boulevard by the S78.

This is fantastic news for Staten Island especially on its busiest bus corridor. I imagine this will be a welcome addition to riders once they get used to it like they have in other boroughs. Hopefully a successful run will lead to an expansion in the borough.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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MTA To Lease Two New Spaces In Grand Central

Posted by
on May 21st, 2012 at 11:12 am

Just a short while ago, the MTA announced it will be leasing two new spaces in Grand Central Terminal. Here is more via the official press release:

For 15 years, the value of the real estate in Grand Central Terminal has soared nearly four-fold, and now, as the building prepares to turn 100 years old, the MTA has created two large new spaces to lease for the first time ever. The spaces are envisioned for sit-down restaurants.

One new space, consisting of up to 12,300 square feet, includes the west side of Vanderbilt Hall, the former main waiting room, on 42nd Street. It is backed by a former beauty salon and has another entrance leading to the passageway that connects to the New York City Subway’s 42nd Street Shuttle (S). The other site, consisting of 4,700 square feet, is an undeveloped area above the Grand Central Market with a balcony overlooking the eastern end of the market. Neither location has ever been offered for leasing to a permanent tenant.

The re-emergence of the Terminal as an increasingly popular retail destination and transportation hub has been mirrored by an increase in leasing revenue to the MTA. In 1994, before the renovation, the MTA earned $7 million in rent for retail space at Grand Central. By 2002, rental income reached $15 million from an array of 100 retail tenants. By 2011 the MTA nearly double the rent again, to $27 million.

“Grand Central will always be the greatest train station in the United States and the crown jewel of the MTA’s transportation network,” said MTA Chairman Joseph J. Lhota. “It’s a focal point for the economic and social life of the region and a superb setting for the daily business of moving people. At the same time, over the past 15 years, it’s also been transformed into one of the world’s most well-known destinations for shopping and dining. These latest additions will only heighten its reputation.”

“The built-in traffic at Grand Central makes these spectacular sites for food-service businesses,” said Nancy Marshall, MTA’s Director of Grand Central Terminal Development. “Vanderbilt Hall is visually stunning, and a restaurant above the vibrant Grand Central Market promises to have tremendous cachet.”

Unique locations such as these have helped other popular Grand Central destinations to thrive, including the world famous Oyster Bar, which is tucked away in the lower level, and the trendy lounge Campbell Apartment, which occupies a secluded area accessible only from Vanderbilt Avenue.

The new restaurants, which will be available for 2013 openings, will benefit from increased foot traffic during the Terminal’s centennial year, which kicks off in February. Centennial activities are planned throughout the Terminal and in Vanderbilt Hall all year long.

At Grand Central and throughout the transit system, whenever a retail space managed by the MTA becomes available, it is put out to bid on the open market pursuant to New York State law. Last year, Grand Central welcomed the country’s largest Apple store and an outpost for shoes and fashion designer Vince Camuto. Shake Shack is slated to open soon.

“As the MTA strives to make every dollar count, we are looking to achieve the maximum economic return we can from each property that we control,” said Jeff Rosen, MTA Director of Real Estate. “The success we’ve had at Grand Central mirrors our efforts elsewhere, and shows the way forward for all our properties, large and small.”

Over the past five years, some 45 retail leases in Grand Central have expired and been replaced by new leases. “Even in these lean economic times, each and every time we’ve had a lease expire, the bids have been above what the previous tenant was paying,” Marshall said.

With 750,000 visitors per day, Grand Central Terminal is the second most-visited place in New York City after Times Square. It is the heart and hub of MTA Metro-North Railroad, the nation’s busiest commuter railroad, which maintains the Terminal and operates 650 trains to and from it each day serving more than 200,000 passengers. MTA New York City Transit’s adjoining subway complex is the second busiest in the New York City subway system, with five lines serving a combined average of 288,700 riders per day.

My initial reaction to this is what companies are going to come in & get sweetheart deals? Let’s face it, the MTA is known for blowing it when it comes to maximizing its real estate assets. This brief note from the press release says a lot in my opinion:

In 1994, before the renovation, the MTA earned $7 million in rent for retail space at Grand Central. By 2002, rental income reached $15 million from an array of 100 retail tenants. By 2011 the MTA nearly double the rent again, to $27 million.

I am sorry but they should have made more money off of Grand Central especially during the big real estate boom that lasted a number of years. Even with the downswing, having a piece like Grand Central in the greatest city in the world is bankable so no excuse not to financially maximize on it.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Service Diversions 05-21-12

Posted by
on May 21st, 2012 at 5:59 am

I have just updated the Service Diversions by removing all of the work that wrapped up within the past hour. The latest work for the week is front & center. As always if I see anything interesting or noteworthy, I will tweet about it so follow @TransitBlogger which you can easily do by clicking the button in the sidebar.

P.S. If you or anyone you know is interested in indie music, check out SurgeFM which plays the best in indie music from favorites like Arcade Fire, Camera Obscura, Mates Of State, Nada Surf to up & coming artists that will make noise in the near future!

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Service Diversions 05-18-12

Posted by
on May 18th, 2012 at 12:41 pm

Checkout the latest Service Diversions for the upcoming weekend, next week & beyond in some cases.

If I see or hear anything interesting or noteworthy, I will post it on Twitter so don’t forget to follow @TransitBlogger which can easily be done by clicking the button in the sidebar.

The next service diversions entry update will be Monday at 5:01 AM (although the page will be updated at least once a day) when all of the weekend work is wrapped up.

As always, stay safe & have a wonderful weekend.

P.S. If you or anyone you know is into independent music, check out Surge FM!.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Service Diversions 05-10-12

Posted by
on May 10th, 2012 at 6:38 am

Riders can now get a jump start on planning their weekend as I have updated the Service Diversions with the latest work for this weekend, next week & beyond in some cases. The next entry update will be Monday at 5:01 AM when the weekend work is wrapped up. However the page will be updated as diversions change or end.

If I see anything interesting or noteworthy, I will post it on Twitter so follow @TransitBlogger which you can easily do by clicking the button in the sidebar.

Don’t forget to check out SurgeFM if you or anyone you know is a fan of independent music. The streams are available 24×7 commercial-free for your listening pleasure!

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Service Diversions