In addition to the standards set forth in the current station planning guidelines as issued by New York City Transit, the following standards shall also apply:

(a)        Location

The relocated or renovated entrance shall be immediately adjacent to, and accessible without any obstruction from, a public sidewalk or pedestrian circulation space as defined in Section 37-50. Any such pedestrian circulation space shall have a minimum horizontal dimension equal to the width of the relocated stairs or the minimum width of the pedestrian circulation space, whichever is greater.

The relocated or renovated entrance may be provided within a building but shall not be enclosed by any doors. The area occupied by a relocated or renovated entrance within a building shall not be counted toward the floor area of the enlargement or development.

(b)        Design standards

The relocated or renovated entrance shall have a stair width of at least eight feet for each run.

Where two or more existing stairway entrances are being relocated or renovated as part of the same development or enlargement, the new entrance or entrances shall have total stair widths equal to or greater than the sum of the stair widths of those existing stairway entrances, but in no case may any stair be less than eight feet in width.

The relocated entrance may be relocated within a public plaza, provided that the minimum width of each stair is 10 feet and the queuing area of the relocated entrance is unobstructed and contiguous to a sidewalk or a sidewalk widening. A relocated entrance within a public plaza is a permitted obstruction, but shall not be subject to the percentage limit on permitted obstructions for a public plaza.

For a relocated entrance only, the entrance shall have a queuing space at the top and bottom of the stairs that is at least eight feet wide and 15 feet long. Such queuing space may overlap with a public plaza or an arcade in accordance with the provisions of Sections 37-53 (Design Standards for Pedestrian Circulation Spaces) or 37-80 (ARCADES).

No stairway shall have more than 14 risers without a landing, and each landing shall have a minimum width equal to the width of the stairs, and a minimum length of five feet.

Throughout the entire stairway entrance, including passageways, the minimum clear, unobstructed height shall be at least 7 feet, 6 inches from finished floor to finished ceiling, including all lighting fixtures and signs.

The entire entrance area, including passageways, shall be free of obstructions of any kind, except for projecting information signage.

The relocated entrance shall connect to an existing or proposed subway passageway, or shall connect, via an underground passageway, to a mezzanine area of the subway station.

The below-grade portion of a relocated entrance may be constructed within the street.

(c)        Hours of public accessibility

The relocated or renovated entrance shall be accessible to the public during the hours when the connected mezzanine area is open to the public or as otherwise approved by New York City Transit.