The History of 370 Jay Street

Feedback

-  NEED VISUALS where possible. Articles are fine but choose layout so people are not looking at so much text. Show me the impact on Brooklyn or some other context that adds value of the history of this building.

-  Elaborate more on why decisions were made (like WWII interfering with construction starting, or NYU-Poly needing more space because of more student enrollment). You did so in the presentation but that should reflect in the exhibit as well (even if it is an educated guess!)

-  Discuss why/ how WWII caused a gap in building

-  Context matters. Why is the historical context of the different subway lines important to 370 Jay? Think: Murder Hornets during Covid pandemic, what does it add to the story. What does the administrative history have to do with the narrative of 370 Jay?

-  I’d like to know what $3.8 million is in today’s dollars. Similarly, what is $7 million in 1948

I. Introduction

370 Jay Street is one of the places I visit most often as a student at NYU Tandon. Many of its floors are now part of the Tandon campus, and I often spend time on the 10th floor, where the computer science lab is located. Compared to other Tandon buildings, 370 Jay Street feels much newer—it looks clean, bright, and modern. Because of this, I always assumed it was a relatively new building, probably built in the last few decades, and definitely newer than some of the older Tandon facilities.

However, one day I noticed a small plaque on the first floor that said construction on the building began in 1948. I was surprised. I had no idea the building had such a long history. That moment made me curious about what 370 Jay Street was used for before NYU moved in. I started wondering who built it, why it was built, and how it eventually became part of the university. This project is my attempt to trace that history and better understand the building I walk into almost every day.

Figure 1. Directory of 370 Jay Street

Figure 2. Original Commemorative Plaque at 370 Jay Street

This project explores the history of 370 Jay Street and how its role has changed over time. It was built by BOT and once used by the MTA for handling fare money and other operations. For many years, people saw the building as old and hard to renovate, especially because it sits above busy subway lines. But in recent years, it has become an important part of NYU Tandon. The university has made it part of its growing campus in Downtown Brooklyn, turning it into a place for learning, research, and new technology. The story of 370 Jay Street shows how the meaning and value of a building can change as the city and its needs grow.

II. Prebuild and Construction (1938–1951)

In 1938, the New York City Board of Transportation initiated plans to consolidate its operations by constructing a central headquarters. At the time, the Board's departments were spread across multiple locations in the city, which made communication and coordination difficult. Important tasks like engineering, planning, and legal work were handled in separate offices, slowing down decision-making and reducing overall efficiency. A central headquarters was needed to bring all departments together, improve internal communication, and allow the agency to operate in a more organized and unified way. The proposed building aimed to house over 50 departments and accommodate staff involved in engineering, legal affairs, property management, and route planning. At the time, the board was one of the city's largest real estate holders, controlling properties valued at approximately $20 million. These holdings included both large and small parcels across key locations, making the idea of a dedicated central office both feasible and strategically sound (Harrington, 1938).

Figure 3. City Transit Board Plans New Headquarters — 1938

In 1939, the New York City Board of Transportation announced plans to relocate its headquarters from rented offices at 250 Hudson Street in Manhattan to a newly constructed, fourteen-story building in Downtown Brooklyn. The site, located at the corner of Jay and Willoughby Streets and directly above the Willoughby–Jay Street station of the Independent Subway System, was chosen for its strategic position and the city-owned status of the land. The building was designed not only to consolidate more than fifty departments but also to streamline fare collection by allowing collection trains to run directly into the structure. This would eliminate the need for armored trucks to transport fare boxes through city streets. The relocation was part of a broader effort by Mayor Fiorello La Guardia to decentralize city agencies and distribute municipal functions more evenly across the five boroughs (The New York Times, 1939)

Figure 4. City Subway Board to Get New Home — 1939

The plan of 370 Jay Street started around 1940. At that time, a newspaper article reported that the New York City Transit Board wanted to build a new office building in Brooklyn. The plan was to construct a 15-story structure that would cost $3.8 million(Based on BLS estimates, $3.8 million in 1940 would be worth nearly $87.5 million in today’s dollars). The building was intended to serve as a central office for the city’s transit system (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 1940).

Figure 5. Planned 15-Story Transit Headquarters at 370 Jay Street — 1940

During World War II, the construction of 370 Jay Street was significantly postponed as a direct consequence of wartime mobilization. The federal government imposed strict rationing policies on essential construction materials, especially steel, copper, and concrete, which were redirected to support military production such as ships and aircraft. Civilian building projects across the country, including the planned headquarters of the Board of Transportation in Brooklyn, were considered nonessential and had to be delayed. At the same time, the labor force was reduced because many skilled workers were drafted or voluntarily joined the armed forces. Others shifted to wartime industries such as weapons manufacturing and shipbuilding. These combined shortages of materials and labor made it impossible for the BOT to move forward with construction during the war. It was only after the conflict ended, when materials became available again and the construction workforce returned, that the project resumed in 1948.

The original budget had nearly doubled to $7 million(Based on BLS estimates, $7 million in 1948 would be worth nearly $94.5 million in today’s dollars), and the number of floors was reduced to 13 (The New York Times, 1948). Construction began in the summer of that year.

Figure 6. City Transit Board Prepares to Build $7 Million Headquarters in Brooklyn — 1948

By 1949, modern features were being added to the design. One article noted that the building would include electronic elevators, which were considered cutting-edge at the time and reflected how advanced the facility was intended to be (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 1949). When the building was completed in 1951, it became the main headquarters for the city’s transit system in Brooklyn.Plan Electronic Elevators for New Transit Building.

Figure 7. New Transit Building High-Speed Electronic Elevators — 1949

In 1951, the New York City Board of Transportation officially moved into its new headquarters at 370 Jay Street in Brooklyn, marking the culmination of over a decade of planning and delays. Nearly 2,500 employees were transferred from the former office at 250 Hudson Street in Manhattan, but the move was rushed and disorganized due to pressure from federal agencies taking over the Manhattan site. Upon arrival, much of the office equipment remained unpacked and scattered throughout the corridors, and staff were unable to conduct regular operations. Board Secretary William Jerome Daly described the scene as chaotic, noting it would take weeks to restore order. Despite the confusion, the $10 million(Based on BLS estimates, $7 million in 1951 would be worth nearly $126 million in today’s dollars), fourteen-story building was designed to unify the executive, administrative, and engineering functions of the city’s subway system under one roof (The New York Times, 1951).

Figure 8. Transit Board Moves into New Headquarters at 370 Jay Street — 1951

III.The MTA Money Transit Era (1951–2006)

When the New York City Board of Transportation moved into 370 Jay Street in 1951, the building served not only as a new administrative headquarters but also as a secure financial hub for the city's subway system. One distinctive feature of the building was its integration with the subway infrastructure. An underground tunnel connected to the subway lines allowed revenue collection trains called "money trains" to pull directly into the basement of the building.

To understand the building’s context in the wider subway system, a 1951 subway map is useful. The map shows that the lines were still labeled under the original private companies—IND, IRT, and BMT. This reflected how the system was still in transition, even though the NYCTA had already been created (NYC Subway Historical Maps, 1951).

The 1951 New York City subway map shows that the location of Jay Street MetroTech was extremely advantageous. Both the IND and BMT lines served this station, making it a major connection point for several subway routes between Brooklyn and Manhattan. From the station, people could directly access the 370 Jay Street building without leaving the transit system. This strategic location made 370 Jay Street not only an important administrative center for the city's transit operations but also a critical hub for managing the subway system's financial flows. The building was specially designed with an underground tunnel connected to the subway lines, allowing revenue collection trains to deliver cash and tokens directly into the facility, reinforcing its central role in New York City's transportation network.

Figure 9. 1951 Map of the New York City Subway and Elevated Lines 

The money train ran throughout the city, collecting cash from fare machines and delivering it to the secure vaults inside 370 Jay Street. The train ran from 1951 until it was taken out of service in 2006 (Money Train Retires, 2006). These specialized trains carried fare boxes collected from stations citywide and delivered them to 370 Jay Street without the need for armored trucks navigating street traffic, significantly improving both efficiency and security.

Figure 10. Money Transit Train Used at Jay Street Station

Inside the building, the fare processing system was highly compartmentalized and secure.  After the trains arrived, fare boxes were brought into the basement through an entrance next to the subway tracks.

Figure 11. Exterior View of the Subway-Level Basement Entrance

Figure 12. Interior View of the Subway-Level Basement Entrance

The money was then moved through a secure tunnel inside the building, leading to a service area.(,2020)

Figure 13. Tunnel from the Basement Entrance to the elevator

From there, it was transported to the upper floors using internal service elevators.

Figure 14. Elevator to the second floor

The primary counting rooms were located on the second and third floors, where large teams of clerks and cash handlers, under surveillance and behind secure barriers, would sort, count, and verify coins and bills. The process was meticulously organized: coins were funneled through sorting machines, and fare tokens were separated and stored for reuse. Armed guards monitored every stage of the operation, and the building was considered one of the most secure financial processing sites in the city during that era(Untapped New York, 2020).

Figure 15. Counting room locate in the second floor

Once the cash had been sorted and verified in the counting rooms, it was transferred to the money room, which was also located on the second floor. This room functioned as the secure vault and final processing site for all fare revenue collected across the city’s transit system. Designed with high-grade reinforced walls and limited access points, the money room was protected by a combination lock system that required the presence of two authorized personnel to open.

Cash bags were weighed, recorded, and stored in safes or prepared for armored transport to external banking institutions. Movement within the money room was closely monitored by security cameras and watched by transit police stationed outside. Access was tightly restricted, with guards verifying personal identities before allowing any entry or exit. The room operated under strict accountability measures, with logs kept for every cash transfer and personnel shift(Untapped New York, 2020).

Figure 16. The money room

After the Board of Transportation (BOT) finally moved into its new headquarters at 370 Jay Street in 1951, its occupancy was short-lived. Just two years later, in 1953, the BOT was dissolved as part of a broader reorganization of the city's transit governance. Control of the building, along with responsibility for the subway system, was transferred to the newly established New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA), which became the primary occupant of 370 Jay Street for the decades that followed.

Figure 17. Inside the Revenue Processing Office at 370 Jay Street —- 1957

In 1968, the New York City Transit Authority was incorporated into the newly formed Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which was established to unify and oversee the region’s various transit systems. Following this organizational shift, 370 Jay Street continued to serve as a central operations hub—not only for the Transit Authority, but also for the broader MTA. The building housed key administrative offices, engineering teams, and revenue departments, reinforcing its role as the institutional and logistical heart of New York City’s transit system throughout the latter half of the 20th century.

One of the most surprising stories about 370 Jay Street happened in 1979, when $600,000 in cash was stolen from inside the building. The money was kept in a safe on the second floor, in a special room that was supposed to be protected by several transit police officers. The safe was double-locked, and it needed two people to open it. But somehow, the money disappeared without anyone noticing. It was made up of $10 bills packed into 60 bricks, weighing around 120 pounds. When the Transit Authority found out, they were shocked. There were no signs of a break-in, and everything else in the room was still locked up. Many people believed it was an inside job. One long-time worker said it was the biggest theft he had ever seen in the history of the agency (Kihss, 1979).

Figure 18. $600,000 Theft at Transit Authority’s Revenue Room in 370 Jay Street

In 1990, the New York City Transit Authority officially moved its main headquarters out of 370 Jay Street. The agency relocated to a newer and more modern office building at 130 Livingston Street, just a few blocks away in Downtown Brooklyn. This marked the beginning of a slow transition away from 370 Jay Street.

By the late 1990s, more departments within the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) also began to leave the building. In 1998, the MTA signed a 49-year lease for 2 Broadway in Lower Manhattan, a large office tower that would become its new central headquarters. Over the following years, key operations—including planning, engineering, and administration—were transferred to the new location.

As more offices moved out, large parts of 370 Jay Street became empty. Although the building still housed some technical equipment and signal infrastructure, the number of staff working there dropped significantly. Hallways that were once busy with transit workers grew quiet, and entire floors were left unused. The once-bustling hub of transit operations began to feel abandoned, signaling the end of an era for 370 Jay Street.

IV. NYU’s Transition and Redevelopment (2006–Present)

In January 2006, the operation of the money train officially ended, marking the closure of fare collection activities at 370 Jay Street. Following this, the MTA gradually vacated 370 Jay Street, leaving much of the building unused for years. As occupancy declined, the structure fell into a visible state of disrepair. Scaffolding frequently surrounded the exterior due to safety concerns, and the once-busy transit hub came to be seen as an eyesore in the heart of Downtown Brooklyn. City officials and local residents criticized its deteriorated condition and described it as a symbol of long-term neglect. The building’s plain and utilitarian design, which was originally intended to emphasize functionality, seemed increasingly out of place compared to the updated architecture developing throughout the area. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz publicly called the building's condition a stain on the neighborhood. By the early 2000s, many viewed 370 Jay Street as a failed public facility. It was considered too expensive to renovate, too historically significant to demolish, and too neglected to leave alone.

Figure 19. 370 Jay Street Before Renovation

Around the same time, the New York City Department of City Planning released a report that aimed to redevelop downtown Brooklyn. The plan included office space, housing, schools, and cultural centers, and helped create the opportunity for new owners to step in (New York City Department of City Planning, 2004).

In 2012, NYU-Poly faced a growing need for more space to support its expanding programs in engineering, technology, and research. At the time, the university was leasing floors across multiple buildings in Downtown Brooklyn to meet demand. For example, NYU-Poly signed a 20-year lease for two floors at 2 MetroTech to house dry labs, faculty offices, and classrooms, including the relocation of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science programs (Polytechnic Institute of NYU, 2012a). It also arranged a sub-lease at 15 MetroTech for administrative space and a 260-person assembly area, as part of a move out of the aging Jacobs Administration Building (Polytechnic Institute of NYU, 2012b). These scattered spaces were costly and limited in flexibility. In this context, gaining access to 370 Jay Street became a critical opportunity. Unlike leased offices, 370 Jay offered a large, unified, long-term home that NYU could fully redesign to support its vision for a high-tech urban campus.

Figure 20. NYU Poly Rents 15 MetroTech floor 6

Figure 21. NYU Poly Leases Space at 2 MetroTech

Between 2011 and 2016, NYU Tandon saw a significant and consistent increase in both undergraduate and graduate enrollment. Undergraduate headcount rose from 1,939 in Fall 2011 to 2,506 in Fall 2016(NYU Tandon, 2016), while graduate enrollment also climbed steadily from 2,548 to 3,032(NYU Tandon, 2016) over the same period. Although NYU Tandon had already begun leasing additional space at 2 MetroTech and 15 MetroTech to support its operations, the rapid pace of student enrollment growth quickly outpaced these temporary solutions. The added space helped alleviate some immediate pressure, but it was not a sustainable answer to the school’s long-term needs. As Tandon’s programs continued to attract more students each year, the demand for classrooms, labs, and study areas grew just as fast. It became increasingly clear that the school required a more permanent and expansive facility to support its academic mission and student experience.

This surge in enrollment placed mounting pressure on Tandon’s existing infrastructure, exposing critical space limitations across the school’s Brooklyn campus. Classrooms were routinely filled to capacity, lab scheduling became increasingly constrained, and students often lacked adequate areas for group work and quiet study. As Tandon expanded its degree offerings and research initiatives, the lack of a large, integrated facility began to hinder day-to-day operations and long-term planning. In this context, 370 Jay Street became a necessary solution. It provided significantly more square footage and allowed the school to bring together academic, administrative, and research functions in one location. Its position in the center of Downtown Brooklyn also supported Tandon’s goal of building a modern urban campus focused on engineering, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Figure 22.: Growth of Undergraduate Enrollment at NYU Tandon (AY 2011–2016)

Figure 23. Growth of Graduate Enrollment at NYU Tandon (AY 2011–2016)

After NYU Tandon moved into 370 Jay Street in 2017, the school’s enrollment trajectory became even more pronounced. The new space significantly expanded the school’s capacity, allowing for the addition of more classrooms, laboratories, and collaborative learning areas. With these improvements, Tandon was better positioned to accommodate a growing student body and to enhance the overall academic experience. As shown in the data, from AY 17-18 to AY 21-22, total enrollment rose from around 5,300 to nearly 7,900 in the fall semester and from just over 5,000 to more than 7,500 in the spring(NYU Tandon, 2022). These increases suggest that the improved facilities at 370 Jay Street played a key role in supporting Tandon’s growth. The availability of modern, centralized space not only helped alleviate earlier space constraints but also made the school more attractive to prospective students. The move enabled Tandon to scale its operations in a more sustainable way, directly contributing to the significant enrollment gains observed in the following years.

Figure 24. Tandon Total Enrollment Trends by Semester (AY 2016–2022)

In 2012, NYU made a deal with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the City of New York to take over the long-vacant building at 370 Jay Street. Instead of buying the property, NYU signed a long-term lease agreement(99 years lease), meaning the university would not own the building but could use and manage it for many years. In return, NYU promised to invest heavily in restoring and transforming the building into a new home for technology, engineering, and media programs.

Beside lack of space, NYU decided to renovate 370 Jay Street because of its great location, large size, and long term value. The building is in the center of Downtown Brooklyn, right above several subway lines, and close to other NYU Tandon buildings. This made it a good choice for campus expansion without having to move to a new area. Even though the building had been empty for years and was in bad condition, it had a lot of space inside that could be used for classrooms, labs, and offices.

Starting in 2015, NYU began major renovation work on 370 Jay Street. The building had been empty for many years and was in poor condition. NYU worked to fix the old structure, replace outdated systems, and redesign the inside to fit classrooms, labs, and offices. The goal was to turn the former transit building into a modern space for education and technology. During the renovation process, workers discovered a time capsule that had been buried in the building in 1950. Unfortunately, when it was opened, almost everything inside had been destroyed by water. Even though the contents were no longer usable, the find still offered a connection to the building’s past (Long-buried Jay Street time capsule, 2017). By 2017, most of the work was finished, and the building was ready to welcome students, faculty, and researchers.

Figure 25. 370 Jay Street after Renovation

Figure 26. 10th floor after Renovation

By 2017, NYU announced that it would spend nearly $500 million not only on 370 Jay Street, but also on expanding its tech presence in Brooklyn, including projects at its Tandon School of Engineering (McShane, 2017). This public-private partnership allowed the city to reuse an aging public asset while helping NYU grow as a center for innovation in Downtown Brooklyn.

In 2018, NYU completed the full renovation of 370 Jay Street. Tandon School of Engineering moved several programs into the building, including advanced engineering labs, entrepreneurship spaces, and startup incubators such as the Tandon Future Labs. The building was designed to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration between engineering, media, and technology students. Achieving LEED Platinum certification, 370 Jay Street became a symbol of NYU’s commitment to sustainability and modern engineering education.

From 2019 onward, NYU has continued to invest in 370 Jay Street to support Tandon’s expansion. Programs such as the Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP) were added to grow research in areas like urban informatics and smart city technology. NYU plans to keep upgrading and expanding Tandon’s facilities within 370 Jay Street, aiming to make it a long-term center for innovation, entrepreneurship, and real-world engineering solutions in Brooklyn.

V. Conclusion

Since 1951, 370 Jay Street served as the headquarters of New York City's subway system, standing at the heart of Brooklyn’s civic and transportation network. For decades, it was a center of operations, planning, and management that kept one of the world’s largest transit systems running. The building became a symbol of Brooklyn’s growing importance in the city, a landmark that reflected the borough’s role in supporting millions of daily travelers and shaping the modern city.

Today, 370 Jay Street is an important part of NYU Tandon School of Engineering. It provides space for classrooms, research labs, and startup programs. NYU has already made major improvements to the building and plans to continue investing in it. The university aims to keep 370 Jay Street a center for learning, innovation, and new ideas in the future.

After doing this research, I no longer see 370 Jay Street as just a clean and modern academic building. I now understand that it is a place with decades of history. It began as a hub for the city’s subway system and has become a space for education and innovation. Every time I walk into the building, I’m reminded that its walls once held the operations of an entire transit network, and today they support the growth of a new generation of engineers. This project helped me connect the past and present of a place I used to take for granted. It taught me that even a building I visit every day can have a much bigger story behind it, if I take the time to look.

VI. Primary Source

Harrington, J. W. (1938, March 13). City Transit Board May Erect Building: Plan Being Considered for a Central Home to House Transportation Staff. The New York Times.

The New York Times. (1939, January 26). City subway board to get new home. The New York Times.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle. (1940, June 7). Transit Board to Have 15-Story Boro Building: Order Plans for Jay St. $3,800,000 Structure To House Central Office. p. 3. Retrieved October 20, 2016, from Newspapers.com

The New York Times. (1948, January 27). City Transit Board Prepares to Build: Its $7,000,000 Headquarters in Brooklyn Will Start Going Up in Summer, Reid Says. Retrieved October 14, 2016, from Newspapers.com

Brooklyn Daily Eagle. (1949, August 19). Plan Electronic Elevators for New Transit Building. p. 7. Retrieved October 20, 2016, from Newspapers.com

The New York Times. (1951, March 5). Transit board now in its new building. The New York Times.

Zimmerman, A. (2015, November 30). Inside the Brooklyn Building that Held the Subway's Secrets. Atlas Obscura.

Toussaint, K. (2017, December 13). NYU Moves Tech Hub into Long-Empty Former MTA Headquarters. Metro US.

Kihss, P. (1979, July 24). $600,000 transit authority theft at a guarded double‐locked safe. The New York Times.

Raskin, S. (2015, October 29). When 370 Jay St. was state-of-the-art: Transit Museum exhibit is now open. Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

McShane, L. (2017, January 26). NYU to pump $500M into expanding high-tech Brooklyn campuses. New York Daily News.

Tdorante10. (2018, March 11). 370 Jay Street, Brooklyn. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jay_St_Bklyn_td_31_-_370_Jay_Street.jpg

Untapped New York. (2020, September 24). A look inside the secret tunnels in 370 Jay Street, once home to the MTA’s money room. https://www.untappedcities.com/a-look-inside-the-secret-tunnels-in-370-jay-street-once-home-to-the-mtas-money-room/

Runbin Yuan. (2025, April). Interior office space at 370 Jay Street. Personal collection.

VII. Secondary Source

NYC Subway Historical Maps. (1951). 1951 Route Map (Bottom Half - Brooklyn, Lower Manhattan). Retrieved from http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?img=maps/system_1951_b.jpg

 Hood, C. (1993). 722 miles: The building of the subways and how they transformed New York. Johns Hopkins University Press.

New York City Department of City Planning. (2004). Downtown Brooklyn development plan.

NYC Department of City Planning. Retrieved from https://www.nyc.gov/assets/planning/download/pdf/plans/downtown-brooklyn2/downbklynfull.pdf

Polytechnic Institute of NYU. (2012). Facilities planning for 15 MetroTech and Jacobs Administration move. Polytechnic Institute of NYU Archives.

Polytechnic Institute of NYU. (2012). Facilities planning for 2 MetroTech: Lease and department relocation. Polytechnic Institute of NYU Archives.

New York University Tandon School of Engineering. (2016). Growth of Undergraduate Enrollment at NYU Tandon(AY 2011–2016). NYU Institutional Research and Data Analytics.

New York University Tandon School of Engineering. (2016). Overall Fall Undergraduate Enrollment Headcount (AY 2011–2016). NYU Institutional Research and Data Analytics.

New York University Tandon School of Engineering. (2016). Growth of Graduate Enrollment at NYU Tandon(AY 2011–2016). NYU Institutional Research and Data Analytics.

New York University Tandon School of Engineering. (2022). Tandon Total Enrollment Trends by Semester (AY 2016–2022). NYU Institutional Research and Data Analytics.