The Lafayette Avenue Station is served by an almost full length mezzanine that doesn't quite cover the western ends of the platform. The station is a rare IND local stop, with two side platforms for the 4 track subway line, that retains every street stair from opening day, with 9 total streetstairs up from the mezzanine, and the same number of staircases, 5 up from the Manhattan-bound platform, 4 up from the Euclid Avenue-bound platform connecting each platform to the mezzanine. The station is somewhat deep and all 9 of the streetstairs contain short staircases before a passageway to the actual streetstair.
The mezzanine is of the split areas within fare control design so there is no crossover or under, but all station exits can be fully open at all times for the single token booth in the middle of the mezzanine, facing two seperate sets of turnstiles for entry into each direction. Towards each end of the mezzanine, closer to the exits are High Entrance and Exit turnstiles that provide a way to enter the subway with less walking than would be required to get to the turnstiles at the center of the mezzanine. This means the regular turnstiles by the token booth get practically no use since they are far away from any entrance or exit.
At the western end of the mezzanine the station contains 4 streetstairs lead out to all four corners (one at each corner) of South Portland Avenue and Fulton Street.
The eastern end of the mezzanine has five streestairs to an unusual six-way intersection where Fulton Street crosses South Oxford Street at a bit of an angle and Hanson Place and Greene Avenue end at the intersection at quite strange angles. These streetstairs in clockwise order, are to the NE corner of South Oxford Street and Fulton Street, the NW corner of Greene Avenue and Fulton Street, a longer corridor up to the NE corner of Greene Avenue and Fulton Street in front of Cuyler Park, a corridor to the east side of the tiny block formed by Hason Place between South Oxford Street and Fulton Street, and to the NW corner of Hanson Place and South Oxford Street.
On the mezzanine there is well-worn but still readable black-text painted on the tiled walls at many of the exit staircases saying where they go before hanging signs became the norm. The station platforms have green name tablets and trim, with no columns on the platforms but all the columns on the mezzanine are painted lime green.
Photos 1-30: June 25, 2008
A Lafayette Ave name tablet on the platform.
The Lafayette tiling just below the station's green trim line.
Looking down the columnless Euclid Av-bound platform at Lafayette Ave.
A cover of some sort on the platform wall at Lafayette Av, text on it has warn quite a bit off, but it had something to do with being a Pit Cover.
Another view down the Euclid Av-bound platform at Lafayette Ave, the station's exits and mezzanine are towards the eastern end of the platforms.
Approaching the series of staircases up to the mezzanine from the Euclid Av-bound platform at Lafayette Ave.
The Euclid-Ave bound half portion of the mezzanine at Lafayette Av.
A mosaic for the So. Portland Ave exit at Lafayette Av.
A high entrance turnstile and MVM is an entrance to the Manhattan-bound C train's portion of the mezzanine at Lafayette Av.
Approaching one end of the mezzanine area at Lafayette Av with exit staircases up to the Northeast and Northwest corners of S. Portland Av & Fulton Street.
Looking back from the S. Portland Av end of the mezzanine at Lafayette Av to a High Exit Turnstile and the Euclid Av-bound platform's portion of the mezzanine
An old chipping off sign on the tiled mezzanine walls for the So. Portland Ave. exit at Lafayette Av.
A Lafayette Av sidewalk entrance near South Portland Street, viewed from street level.
Another view down the mezzanine at Lafayette Av A High Entrance Turnstile for the portion of the mezzanine within fare control that leads to Euclid Ave-bound C trains is in view.
Some passengers walk down a staircase from street level to the fairly small, but spacious enough mezzanine level at Shepherd Avenue.
The token booth on the mezzanine at Lafayette Av, nowhere near a station exit between the two banks of turnstiles that lead down to each platform.
A sign at the bottom of a staircase up to Hanson Place & S Oxford St says that the LIRR is five blocks away.
An old chipped paint sign near a staircase is directions to the Hanson Place exit at Lafayette Ave.
Looking back down the mezzanine at Lafayette Ave with the portion of the mezzanine for trains to Eucild Avenue visible.
Another view down the mezzanine at Lafayette Avenue with the token booth and turnstiles off in the distance and High Entrance/Exit Turnstiles closer that most passengers end up using to save themselves the walk half-way down the mezzanine.
Last Updated: February 22, 2023
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