Temporary South Ferry subway station to open in April

The MTA will refurbish and reopen an old, unused subway station to serve the No. 1 train while the Sandy-devastated South Ferry station is rebuilt.

Superstorm Sandy pushed 15 million gallons of water into the South Ferry station, filling it the track level to the mezzanine and destroying all electrical and mechanical systems, the MTA said.

Crews will likely need about two years to rebuild the station. MTA Interim Executive Director Thomas Prendergast said that was too long for customers to not have a direct link to the lower tip of Manhattan.

In the interim, the MTA will run No. 1 trains to the old South Ferry loop station, which actually sits above the damaged station.

That old station, which was used until 2009, can only accommodate 5 subway cars at a time, whereas most trains run 10 cars. The platform at that station is curved, which means its moveable platform extenders, which bridge gaps between the platform and the cars, will need to be refurbished with new pistons and other components, the MTA said.

Workers will also need to install electrical feeds, closed-circuit TV systems, intercoms, security cameras, and radio communications in the dispatcher's office, the MTA said. Crews will also need to restore lighting on the platforms and in the tracks, repair and repaint station walls, and fix up the entrance. All that will cost about $2 million.

The MTA hopes to have the old station ready for service the first week of April, 2013.