Latest Accessibility Project Complete, as West 4th Street-Washington Square Subway Station Elevator Goes Into Service

Forte Construction Completes 19 Elevators Project Ahead of Schedule

ISLANDIA, N.Y – Forte Construction has completed the 19 Elevators Project in collaboration with the MTA and Lead Designer Goldman Copeland, marking the successful closeout of a multi-year accessibility initiative spanning some of New York City’s busiest subway stations. 

The 19^th and final elevator under the contract, EL 335, was placed into service at West 4th Street-Washington Square station on May 13, 2026, three weeks ahead of schedule. 

Beginning in 2023, the contract delivered accessibility improvements across eight major stations throughout Manhattan and Queens, including , 14th Street-Union Square, 14^th Street-Eighth Avenue, Times Square-42nd Street, Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue/74th Street, 125th Street-St. Nicholas Avenue, 175th Street-George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal, Lexington Avenue-53rd Street, and West 4^th Steet-Washington Square. Comprising some of the system’s busiest and most connected transit hubs, these stations collectively serve more than 105 million riders annually, according to MTA ridership data.

Dynamic Greenwich Village Station:

Serving the B, D, F, M, A, C and E lines, West 4th Street–Washington Square is one of Manhattan’s most heavily trafficked transfer stations and a critical connection point within the subway system. Originally opened in 1932, the station has long served residents, students, commuters, and visitors traveling through Greenwich Village.

The commissioning of EL 335 completed three hydraulic elevator replacements at the station including two platform-to-mezzanine elevators and one street-to-mezzanine elevator located at the Northeast Corner of West 3^rd Street and Sixth Avenue. 

Additional work included reconstruction of elevator landing areas to meet updated accessibility requirements, installation of a new glass canopy with integrated LED lighting at the street-level elevator, sidewalk restoration surrounding the elevator enclosure, and the installation of a split cooling system for the Elevator Machine Room.

According to MTA ridership data, more than 10.8 million riders passed through the station in 2024. Just steps from Washington Square Park, New York University, and the iconic West 4th Street Courts, known as “The Cage,” the station remains one of Lower Manhattan’s most active transit hubs.

“The successful completion of the 19 Elevators Project represents years of collaboration among our project teams, the MTA and Goldman Copeland,” said Forte Construction Project Executive Reddy Vangala. “Delivering this final elevator ahead of schedule at West 4th Street–Washington Square marks the successful completion of an effort focused on improving accessibility for riders across the system.” 

Delivering accessibility upgrades across active transit environments required extensive coordination between Forte Construction Corp., the MTA and Goldman Copeland throughout every phase of construction. Teams maintained carefully phased operations designed to minimize impacts to riders while maintaining steady progress across multiple active stations simultaneously. 

Project teams also adapted portions of the construction approach to accommodate hydraulic elevators at select stations, minimizing underground excavation in highly constrained urban environments while maintaining safety for both crews and the public. 

“The completion of the 19 Elevators Project ensures that riders can continue to access the opportunities, destinations, and experiences that make New York City such a dynamic place to live, work, and visit,” said Forte Construction President Larry Pappas. “Forte has been honored to work alongside the MTA and Goldman Copeland on a project that will support accessibility throughout the transit system for years to come.” 

Historic preservation also played an important role throughout several stations included under the contract. At the 14^thStreet-Eighth Avenue station in Chelsea, project teams carefully preserved Tom Otterness’ Life Underground sculptures during the replacement of two elevators at the station. Similar coordination efforts were required at the Times Square-42^ndStreet station to protect Jacob Lawrence’s “New York in Transit” mosaic throughout construction.

“The 19 Elevators Project has modernized elevator service on this vital stretch of New York City’s transportation infrastructure to enhance significantly the riders’ experience,” said Daniel Colombini, Principal at Goldman Copeland. “We are honored to have worked with the MTA and Forte Construction to bring these improvements, ahead of schedule, to transportation accessibility in New York City.”

With all 19 elevators now in service, the project has delivered accessibility improvements at eight major stations across Manhattan and Queens, expanding accessibility for millions of riders throughout the transit system.

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About Forte Construction

Forte Construction is a leading general contracting firm with a team of nearly 500 professionals dedicated to delivering comprehensive construction solutions for major public and government agencies, including the MTA, NYC SCA, DASNY, and NYCHA. The firm manages a wide array of projects across the five boroughs and Long Island, working in close coordination with local municipalities to improve regional infrastructure. Forte is recognized for its expertise in transit accessibility and ADA compliance, with a demonstrated history of delivering billions of dollars in MTA construction and modernization projects, including the installation and ongoing delivery of more than 150 new elevators.

source https://zweiglist.com/latest-accessibility-project-complete-as-west-4th-street-washington-square-subway-station-elevator-goes-into-service/