Brooklyn Heights Townhouse "Secret" Subway Access

Image from Curbed

The red townhouse pictured here, which sits a couple blocks away from our apartment, isn't really a townhouse at all.  It's a facade hiding a ventilation shaft and maintenance exit from the subway system.

The Brooklyn Eagle and WPIX recently mentioned the existence of such an oddity, but didn't disclose the location.  Of course, it didn't take long for the hive mind of the blogosphere to figure it out (58 Joralemon St) and post details on sites like Gothamist, Curbed, and Brooklyn Heights Blog.  Funny, I just walked past that building the other day on my way to do laundry at our neighborhood's one remaining laundromat.  I guess I was too busy navigating the uneven sidewalks with my Easy Wheels to notice the suspicious blacked-out windows.

WPIX said the NYPD didn't want them to disclose the location of the subway exit due to security concerns.  I'm going to have to call bullshit on that philosophy.  The New York City subway system has over 400 stations that anyone with $2.25 can enter.  If there are other access points that need to be secured, security through obscurity isn't the best methodology.  As the Brooklyn Eagle article points out, security improvements were made to this maintenance exit post-9/11, "including an update in protection from a single bolt in the middle of the door to silent alarms and motion detectors."  So, don't anyone go and put me on a terrorist watch list.  I'd like to leave the country for a honeymoon this year.

More photos here.