INWOOD — Inwood’s only wheelchair accessible entrance to the subway reopened to straphangers Thursday, more than a month after it was closed down by a massive fire which tore through a neighboring building.
The elevator was taken out of service as the building was cordoned off and later demolished. No damage was reported to the elevator that leads to the 207th Street A train station on Broadway.
The MTA worked with the contractor who demolished the building to "clear enough space around the elevator so customers can safely enter and exit," according to an MTA spokeswoman.
Crews quickly removed the charred building on the northwest corner of West 207th Street and Broadway. All that remains now are shards of wood, rubble and random items behind a half-block sidewalk shed that juts out onto Broadway.
An inset along the shed now allows straphangers to enter the elevator.
Since early January, riders needing the entrance to gain access to the subway had to take a bus into Washington Heights to accessible stations at the 168th Street and 175th Street stations.
Inwood mother of two Carole Miranda said she was relieved the elevator was back in service.
“I’ve tried staying uptown as much as possible since the fire, because it was too difficult to juggle the kids everyday,” she said.