For nearly two weeks, a perplexing and persistent buzzing sound has been echoing through the 50th Street subway station in Manhattan. The noise, resembling a classic school bell, has left business owners in the area puzzled and searching for ways to block out the incessant ringing.

The source of the shrill sound has remained elusive. Despite its presence throughout the stairway leading to the downtown 1 train platform, the exact origin of the noise remains unknown. No visible bell can be found in the vicinity, and the volume of the ringing fluctuates unpredictably within the tunnel.

Adrian Gallo, the proprietor of three storefronts in the subway tunnel, described the strange phenomenon, saying, "You hear it strongly only right here. And then once you go there, it's super faint." Gallo demonstrated how the bell becomes indistinct just a few feet away from where it is most audible. As he ascended the stairs, the sound grew louder, only to shift abruptly to a different location.

"To be completely honest, it's really odd," Gallo admitted, pointing out that the bell cannot be heard at all around the corner from the stairs. The exact onset of the ringing at the Broadway and Eighth Avenue station remains unknown, with some individuals claiming to have noticed it on June 23, while others believe it had been happening for at least a week prior.

Businesses near the subway station, including Gallo's pizza shop, See No Evil Pizza, have resorted to keeping their doors closed in an attempt to drown out the noise. One employee mentioned that the ringing stopped for a day before resuming, leading them to speculate that it may be related to a power issue.

Efforts to solve the mystery have so far been in vain. Gallo reached out to his landlord and even contacted the previous tenant, Duane Reade, but neither were able to identify the source of the bell. When contacted by The Post, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) claimed to have no knowledge of the situation and did not offer any follow-up response as the bell continued to ring.

At Tiny Dancer, a nearby coffee shop, the bell's sound is less pronounced. Barista Katie King, who started working there a week ago, said, "It doesn't really bother me that much. I know that it kind of bothers other people." Regular commuters passing through the station have also taken notice of the ringing, but many have dismissed it as just another piece of the bustling city's background noise.

As the bell's enigma persists, local business owners and commuters eagerly await a solution to the mysterious ringing sound that has become part of their daily routine in the heart of Manhattan's subway system.