For decades, it was crumbling right below the feet of pedestrians. But now a historic, century-old public staircase in Upper Manhattan is almost fully rebuilt - all 110 steps of it. NY1's Michael Scotto filed the following report.
If you live or work in Inwood, you've probably walked up or down the staircase on 215th Street.
"I walk up it every morning prior to going to work and if I have time during lunch, I go up and down in it during lunch time," said one Inwood resident.
For years, the 101-year-old steps, which connect Broadway to Park Terrace East in one of the hilliest parts of the city were a mess. Built in 1915, when John Mitchel was mayor, Woodrow Wilson was President and the Yankees played at the Polo Grounds, the stairs had become a cracked and crumbling eyesore.
"There were massive gaps and holes, where water would pool, and ice would form," recalled Community Board 12 Chairperson Shahabuddeen Ally.
After more than a decade of complaints, a $2.5 million renovation was approved in 2012 - with mostly city and some state money. It took two years for construction to begin, but now one side of the dual staircase is opened and the other is almost completed.
It's welcome news for State Senator Adriano Espaillat, who lives just feet from the staircase and had been pushing for repairs since the late 90s.
"It was sort of like my pet peeve - I always beat up on DOT as I met the commissioner, the assistant commissioner, asking them to do this as quickly as possible," Espaillat said.
The city's Department of Design and Construction and the city transportation department oversaw the reconstruction.
The refurbished steps - all 110 of them - include new concrete, plantings, restored lights and a track aimed at making life for cyclists much easier.
"People who use their bikes will be able to, they won't have carry them on their shoulders - they will be able to sort of skid them down here," explained Espaillat.
In hilly neighborhoods, such as Washington Heights and Inwood, step streets, as they are known, are everywhere. There are 100 of them across the five boroughs, 20 in Upper Manhattan alone.