Underground TurnStyle at Columbus Circle Opens

TurnStyle, a first of its kind underground marketplace inside the Columbus Circle 59th Street subway station, has transformed a major concourse that had been closed since 2009 into a lively shopping and dining destination. 

The 30,000-square-foot, $14.5 million project is located within a completely renovated 325-foot-long passageway leading from 57th Street and Eighth Avenue to the A, B, C, D and No. 1 train platforms at 59th Street, Columbus Circle. TurnStyle features 39 retail and food vendors including 12 boutique shops, 20 gourmet eateries and a series of pop-up vendor kiosks.

"We bring choice, convenience and modern, clean design to the 90,000 daily commuters who use this Midtown hub," explained Susan Fine, TurnStyle's developer and principal of OasesRE. "TurnStyle is leading the movement to make urban public space more dynamic and engaging. Our vision was to reimagine the subway experience by bringing Main Street underground and make TurnStyle a destination in its own right and become a new part of the fabric of this neighborhood."

TurnStyle vendors include three organic restaurants, gift and novelty shops, grab n' go food options and even an Internet startup experimenting with brick and mortar. 

The stores include:

Grab n' Go: Blossom du Jour, By Suzette, Doughnuttery, Dylan's Candy Bar, Fika Espresso, Georgia's Bakery, Pressed Juicery, Starbucks, The Nut Box, Gastronomie

Shops: Flower Girl, Dog &Co, Arth Hats, Kit's Underground Wine & Spirits, Lush, Papyrus, Specs New York, Spectre & Co., Studio Manhattan, Cellairis, Project No. 8, The New Stand, Bombas, Marc Tetro, R. Nichols, Elma Blint, SDV Designs

Sample and Dine: The Pizza, Bosie Tea Parlor, Ellary's Greens, Casa Toscana, Bolivian Llama Party, MeltKraft, Semsom Eatery, 2 Beans and Yong Kang Street

Sixteen interactive digital screens feature curated information from TurnStyle's vendors. Live performances entertain shoppers and diners each day. TurnStyle's hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Fine and her design team brought "Main Street underground" by incorporating street-level urban elements such as varying store front depths, diversity of tenants, and a patterned floor that mimics a town square. They replaced old subway tile, signs and fixtures with features including a mosaic wall and interactive digital columns.

"We were highly mindful of TurnStyle's contribution to the infrastructure of the city. We wanted to create a valuable public space that echoes the vitality of a real New York streetscape, turning a commute into an opportunity to shop and dine in comfort amid colorful and attractive surroundings," said Fine, who also conceived and implemented the redevelopment of Grand Central Terminal.