Date of Award

Spring 6-2026

Document Type

Thesis (Undergraduate)

Department

Quantitative Social Science

First Advisor

Luis Alvarez Leon

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of the 2017 Second Avenue Subway expansion on commercial land uses on New York City’s Upper East Side. The research leverages quantitative models alongside qualitative personal experiences and literature to understand the relationship between infrastructure, space, and neighborhood change from a nuanced perspective. The results show that the studied area experienced a broad trend of de-commercialization between 2003 and 2025, and a simultaneous shift toward commercial zoning in areas closest to new subway stations. These findings encourage us to consider how mobility access is an important driver for change within neighborhoods and urban space, and offers a framework for understanding future impacts of this infrastructural project as the City breaks ground on the East Harlem section.

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