SEPTA’s Market East station has an urban vibe; among various other indications, the roaming safety officers are inclined to remind people to be watchful of belongings. (One saw me going into the women’s room with Basil recently and told me to be sure to take him into the stall with me. The officer was obviously concerned that I could exit having found that someone had absconded with my Brompton while I was occupied elsewhere. No worries there; I keep my little buddy by my side!)
It’s gritty, sure, but that’s part of city life. And the station itself is full of color and multi-level interest. Bright-red benches, for example.
And overhead views of the tracks (through glass wired against vandalism, but you gotta deal with reality, after all).
And glorious, rainbow-hued, subway tiles, set akimbo.
Basil’s colors are well-represented, I note.
The station is clearly designed to be nearly indestructible, but the overall effect is playful. There’s an assumption that this can be a nice place to pass through, not a grim stop on the way to somewhere else. It’s the best kind of “gentrification” of all: open to all, with the implicit expectation that this is a space of which to be proud, accessible to everyone.*
*Really! The elevators work! So”accessibility” here means people with physical disabilities, too . . . take that, MTA!