The southwest-facing railroad apartments located on the corner of Broadway and Melrose Street in Brooklyn are situated so close to the Myrtle Avenue subway station platform that tenants can almost touch the J, M, and Z trains passing by. Despite the proximity to the trains, some tenants, such as Arpit Ahluwalia, have grown accustomed to the noise and vibrations. Ahluwalia, who shares the $4,000-a-month rent with two roommates, mentioned that the trains have become like white noise to him after living in the apartment for six months.
The platform barriers are only about 5 feet away from the building, and when a train pulls in, it is approximately 10 feet away. Despite the closeness of the subway trains, the new building was designed to reduce outside commotion, making it more bearable for the tenants. Diego Luna, the manager of Maya’s Snack Bar below the apartments, noted that many of the new tenants seem unfazed by the proximity of the tracks. Luna mentioned witnessing tenants having conversations with people on the other side of the platform through their apartment windows.
A Brooklyn realtor shared a video of a $4,000 a month third-floor walkup directly opposite the tracks on social media, which quickly went viral and garnered over 7 million views. Despite the unit being rented out, some individuals commented on the impracticality of living so close to the train tracks. One social media user expressed disbelief at the realtor up-selling the view of trains passing right outside the window as a positive aspect, while another questioned the high rent cost for a constant exposure to train noises.
Construction on the corner apartment building, located on the border of Bushwick and Bedford-Stuyvesant, was completed in late 2023, and tenants have been moving in since then. The location was previously a vacant lot until 2007, followed by an abandoned building for several years. The unique feature of the railroad apartments being so close to the subway station platform has attracted attention, with some tenants finding it exciting and others finding it too close for comfort. Despite differing opinions, the apartments have garnered interest from individuals looking for a convenient and unique living experience in the bustling city of New York.
