C Train - Lafayette St. (Day 10, stop #402)

Out: I exit here at S. Oxford St. and Fulton St. (there is no exit at Lafayette St., despite the station name). This neighborhood is clearly very mixed between white and black. At this time of morning it's tough to get the exact balance as it's mostly commuters on their way to work. There are upscale stores and a variety of restaurants of all kinds.

There are also some delis and mom & pop stores, as well as a bridal store and realty office, too. The housing is quite attractive, with nicely maintained brick row houses, small apartment buildings, and beautiful brownstones. There is less activity to the east of Oxford St. on Fulton; most of the commercial establishments are to the West. Most places aren’t open yet, though (~9:15 a.m.). The gentrification has some limits, though, as there is still a check cashing spot and an auto rims place next to a fancy restaurant. I stopped in at the local ‘patisserie’ for a breakfast croissant with ham and cheese.

In: The layout here is two platform, four track with express bypass. There is a sea green tile strip and the background of the mosaic station name is also sea green. The platforms are fairly narrow and there are no columns by the platform. There is a very large mezzanine here; it’s dimly lite but very long, very wide, and with many exits extending over two blocks. The central corridor here is turnstile controlled, with the booth in the middle, and the uncontrolled area is partitioned of by black metal grating.