Brown, gooey stains greet commuters at the South Ferry subway terminal, an unsightly surprise after the MTA spent more than $500 million in federal funding to renovate the station.
"It's your government at work -- another fine job. Half a billion dollars, brand new, and here it is falling apart," said commuter John Toedtman, who takes the downtown 1 train to work.
The stained subway tile is especially noticeable at the platform level, where splotches and discoloration mar walls of pristine white.
"Gross, disgusting," said Carlos Rodriguez, who cleans subway cars as part of a work training program.
The MTA said the terminal, which opened in 2009, is in a difficult spot.
"Challenges faced at the station are a result of the fact that the station lies below the water table," said Kevin Ortiz, an MTA spokesman.
But the construction company blames the MTA for failing to specify the station would require waterproofing.
Schiavone general counsel said the MTA did not require full waterproofing, and said the company "installed what was specified in the contract documents."
The MTA said it has already gotten the contractor to pay for short-term repairs.
"To remedy this problem, funding was secured from the contractor to address the leaks through grouting as a temporary measure," said Ortiz. "However, we are now looking at possible long-term solutions to fix the problem."
There has been no price tag or timetable for repairing the water damage.
