A Brooklyn Heights hotel awning fell near the entrance of the Clark Street subway station on Sunday, sparking an emergency response and the MTA to keep the station closed the following day.
No injuries were reported. It is unclear when the station will reopen.
The Clark Street station, home to the 2 and 3 trains, remained closed Monday morning, and trains in both directions were skipping the station, according to the MTA.
FDNY sources said the incident occurred around 7:08 a.m. on Aug. 3, less than a day after the metro area experienced a rare earthquake. Emergency crews received a call that the massive 10×20 marquee came tumbling down in front of the subway station located near on 100 Henry Street.
The FDNY dispatched one engine and a ladder to the scene. Although the emergency workers left the area shortly before 9 a.m., the station remained closed into Monday.
“Signs of poor maintenance”
NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) crews were seen inspecting the area throughout Sunday morning.
“Our NYC Buildings engineers are now on site conducting additional inspections of the collapsed awning, and a second similar awning at the building on Clark Street, which is showing similar signs of poor maintenance,” James Oddo, city buildings commissioner, said.
NYC Council Member Lincoln Restler, who represents the area, posted on X that there is no timeline for restoration yet.
Demetrius Crichlow, NYC Transit president, said the agency “does not have responsibility or ownership of the canopy or structure.”
The awning and building entrance is owned by a private company called Educational Housing Services, according to Restler.
amNewYork reached out to the company, but they declined to comment.
One train commuter said he was not surprised the awning fell.
“Anyone who’s used this subway station or walked through the building knows it has not been taken care of,” he said. “It has smelled like sewage, disgustingly, for many months inside. There are constant leaks underground.”
The rider also said the awning that collapsed had missing letters on the sign.
“It just looked unkept,” he said. “I’m not surprised. Hopefully this is a wakeup call.”
