Repairs begin at parking garage atop Amtrak tunnel that's snarling trains
NEW YORK -- There was an update Tuesday on the unsafe Manhattan parking garage that has impacted Amtrak service between New York City and Westchester County for the last three days.
Mayor Eric Adams said that partial service could resume Thursday. There was also an update for car owners from the company managing the parking garage.
Contractors began repair work at the Hudson View Garage on Tuesday. Inside 524 W. 51st St., is Manhattan resident Brandon Duff's car, one of 104 vehicles unable to leave since Friday.
"I guess it's safety. I just wish they could get the cars out and then do all the work," Duff said.
The garage has been closed since Friday, after the property's engineer found two holes and called 911. The garage sits above an Amtrak tunnel. Tracks can be seen through one of the holes.
The Department of Buildings has said the garage is structurally unstable.
"There was a potential structural issue. Department of Buildings responded accordingly," Adams said.
READ MORE: Amtrak service temporarily suspended between New York City and Albany
The DOB said the property's engineer and contractors expect to complete enough of the shoring and repair work Wednesday night, so trains on one of two Amtrak lines can restart early Thursday morning.
The second could line could begin running as soon as Friday night, officials said.
For now, Amtrak customers traveling to Croton-Harmon station are being told to go to Grand Central, where Metro-North will honor tickets.
One Manhattan resident said it was a mess Monday traveling from upstate Rhinebeck back to New York City.
"We took a car to Poughkeepsie and took Metro-North," Jack Duff said, adding when asked if it was more expensive to do so, "Oh yes, but at some point you gotta get to work."
The chairman and CEO for Icon Parking who manages the garage said safety for employees and customers is the priority.
The DOB said the property owners' contractors and engineer expect, under the current timeline, that the cars may be able to be removed by early next week.
"We needed it for like a friend's moving today. A friend is moving up to Westchester and now I can't help him," Brandon Duff said.
Icon added it has been in touch with customers who cannot access their cars and is letting them know to submit receipts for cabs and rental cars, so they can be reimbursed.
CBS New York did reach out to the property owner, Lineage Properties, but has not yet heard back.