You can use the Paint Selection Tool to select and subdivide faces.
- Select a mesh.
- In the Toolbox, select the Paint Selection Tool .
- In the Paint Operations section of the tool settings window, turn off Add to Current Selection.
- Change the pick mask to Poly Faces.
- In the Stroke section, Type the following in After Stroke Cmd: polySubdivideFacet -dv 1 -m 0 -ch 1
- Paint the faces you want to subdivide. Each painted face subdivides automatically as you finish the stroke.