Escalator Project Update

The escalators that serve the 68th Street Campus have been in continuous operation since the East and West Buildings became operational in 1984, and have reached the end of their useful life. The College, in partnership with the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York and CUNY, is now taking on the complex project of replacing these escalators. Work on this project is expected to last two years, concluding in 2016.

WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW

Work will soon be concluded on Phase 2 of the West Building escalator replacement project. The student lounge area and computers on the 7th floor are fully accessible. Barricades currently surrounding the lounges on the 6th and 5th floors will soon be removed and those areas will once again be accessible to students.

Phase 3 of the escalator replacement work is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, March 11. Student lounge areas on floors 2 and 3 will become inaccessible as barricades are erected. A barricade was erected around the 4th floor lounge during Phase 2 of construction, and that barricade will remain in place for the duration of Phase 3. Construction of barricades will take place on levels B2, B1, and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors. However, escalators serving these floors will not be removed from service until the escalators being completed as part of Phase 2 are returned to service, pending approval from the Department of Buildings.

On or about March 17, all 'up' escalators will be functional--from B2 to the 7th floor. This is a major project milestone.

HOW TO TRAVEL BETWEEN LEVEL B1 AND THE 1ST FLOOR IN THE WEST BUILDING

Travel between B1 and the first floor will be possible in both directions via an escalator that will be turned off.

HOW TO TRAVEL FROM FLOOR 3 TO ALL LOWER FLOORS IN THE WEST BUILDING

'Down' escalators from floor 3 through the B2 level will be taken out of operation; they are not expected to be accessible until the middle of June 2015. If you need to travel from the 3rd floor to floors 2, 1, B1, or B2, you will need to take stairwells A, B, or C.

Although the elevators in the West Building are also available, we encourage you to use the stairs whenever possible to avoid delays.

PLEASE GIVE PERSONS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES WHO ARE UNABLE TO USE STAIRS PRIORITY TO USE ELEVATORS.

Click here to view photos of the project.