23rd Street station (IND Eighth Avenue Line)

New York City mayor John Francis Hylan's original plans for the Independent Subway System (IND), proposed in 1922, included building over {{convert|100|mi}} of new lines and taking over nearly {{convert|100|mi}} of existing lines. The lines were designed to compete with the existing underground, surface, and elevated lines operated by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) and Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT).{{cite news |date=August 4, 1923 |title=Two Subway Routes Adopted by City |page=9 |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1923/08/04/archives/two-subway-routes-adopted-by-city-estimate-board-accepts-wash.html |access-date=August 1, 2019 |issn=0362-4331}}{{cite news |date=March 12, 1924 |title=Plans Now Ready to Start Subways |page=1 |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1924/03/12/archives/plans-now-ready-to-start-subways-commission-notifies-city-it-can.html |access-date=August 1, 2019 |issn=0362-4331}} On December 9, 1924, the New York City Board of Transportation (BOT) gave preliminary approval for the construction of the IND Eighth Avenue Line.{{cite news |date=December 10, 1924 |title=Hylan Subway Plan Links Four Boroughs at $450,000,000 Cost |page=1 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1924/12/10/archives/hylan-subway-plan-links-four-boroughs-at-450000000-cost-manhattan.html |url-status=live |access-date=June 29, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614021251/https://www.nytimes.com/1924/12/10/archives/hylan-subway-plan-links-four-boroughs-at-450000000-cost-manhattan.html |archive-date=June 14, 2018 |issn=0362-4331}} This line consisted of a corridor connecting Inwood, Manhattan, to Downtown Brooklyn, running largely under Eighth Avenue but also paralleling Greenwich Avenue and Sixth Avenue in Lower Manhattan.{{Cite Routes Not Taken}} The BOT announced a list of stations on the new line in February 1928, with a local station at 23rd Street.{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|1113431477}} |title=Express and Local Stations For New Eighth Avenue Line |date=5 Feb 1928 |page=B1 |work=New York Herald Tribune|issn=1941-0646}}

Most of the Eighth Avenue Line was dug using a cheap cut-and-cover method.{{cite news |last=Warner |first=Arthur |date=November 22, 1931 |title=The City's New Underground Province; The Eighth Avenue Subway Will Be Not Only a Transit Line but a Centre for the Shopper A New Underground Province of New York The Eighth Avenue Subway Will Be a Rapid Transit Line With Innovations and Will Provide Centres for the Shoppers |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1931/11/22/archives/the-citys-new-underground-province-the-eighth-avenue-subway-will-be.html |url-status=live |access-date=May 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180503050550/https://www.nytimes.com/1931/11/22/archives/the-citys-new-underground-province-the-eighth-avenue-subway-will-be.html |archive-date=May 3, 2018 |issn=0362-4331}}{{cite news |last=Daly |first=William Jerome |date=February 5, 1928 |title=New Subway Work Far Advanced, From the Circle to 207th Street: Small Section Near St. Nicholas Avenue and 148th Street Being Constructed |page=B1 |work=New York Herald Tribune |id={{ProQuest|1113431484}}}} The finishes at the four stations between 14th and 42nd Street were 21 percent completed by May 1930.{{Cite news |date=1930-05-26 |title=Progress is Rapid on 8th Av. Subway; Board's Engineers Report Spurt in Building Is Likely to Open the Line in July, 1930 |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1930/05/26/archives/progress-is-rapid-on-8th-av-subway-boards-engineers-report-spurt-in.html |access-date=2023-04-29 |issn=0362-4331}} By that August, the BOT reported that the Eighth Avenue Line was nearly completed and that the four stations from 14th to 42nd Street were 99.8 percent completed.{{Cite news |date=1930-08-24 |title=Eighth Av. Subway Nearly Completed; Basic Construction Work From Chambers to 207th St. Done Except on Few Short Stretches |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1930/08/24/archives/eighth-av-subway-nearly-completed-basic-construction-work-from.html |access-date=2023-03-15 |issn=0362-4331}} The entire line was completed by September 1931, except for the installation of turnstiles.{{cite news |last=O'Brien |first=John C. |date=9 Sep 1931 |title=8th Ave. Line Being Rushed For Use Jan. 1: Turnstile Installation on Subway Begins Monday; Other Equipment Ready for Start of Train Service City Has Yet to Find Operating Company Transit Official on Trip, 207th to Canal Street, Inspects Finished Tube |page=1 |work=New York Herald Tribune |issn=1941-0646 |id={{ProQuest|1331181357}}}}

A preview event for the new subway was hosted on September 8, 1932, two days before the official opening.{{Cite news |date=September 9, 1932 |title=Sightseers Invade New Subway When Barricade Is lifted |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1932/09/09/archives/sightseers-invade-new-subway-when-barricade-is-lifted.html |url-status=live |access-date=July 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701191612/https://www.nytimes.com/1932/09/09/archives/sightseers-invade-new-subway-when-barricade-is-lifted.html |archive-date=July 1, 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}{{cite news |date=September 9, 1932 |title=8th Av. Subway Gets First 5c. by Woman's Error: She Peers Into a Station, Hears Train, Pays for Ride, but Is Day Too Early Preparing for Tomorrow's Rush on 8th Ave. Subway |page=1 |work=New York Herald Tribune |id={{ProQuest|1125436641}}}} The 23rd Street station opened on September 10, 1932, as part of the city-operated IND's initial segment, the Eighth Avenue Line between Chambers Street and 207th Street.{{cite news |last1=Crowell |first1=Paul |date=September 10, 1932 |title=Gay Midnight Crowd Rides First Trains In The New Subway: Throngs at Station an Hour Before Time, Rush Turnstiles When Chains are Dropped |work=The New York Times |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1932/09/10/100849529.pdf |access-date=November 8, 2015}}{{cite news |last=Sebring |first=Lewis B. |date=10 Sep 1932 |title=Midnight Jam Opens City's New Subway: Turnstiles Click Into Action at 12:01 A. M. as Throngs Battle for Places in 'First' Trains Boy, 7, Leads Rush At 42d St. Station City at Last Hails 8th Ave. Line After 7-Year Wait; Cars Bigger, Clean Transit Commissioner Officially Opening New Subway at Midnight |page=1 |work=New York Herald Tribune |issn=1941-0646 |id={{ProQuest|1114839882}}}} When the station opened, it was served by local AA trains. When the IND Concourse Line opened on July 1, 1933,{{cite news |date=July 1, 1933 |title=New Bronx Subway Starts Operation |page=15 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1933/07/01/archives/new-bronx-subway-starts-operation-40000000-branch-of-city-system.html |access-date=June 29, 2018 |issn=0362-4331}} all locals became CC trains to the Concourse Line.{{cite map|publisher=New York City Board of Transportation|url=http://images.nycsubway.org/maps/ind_1937.pdf|title=Station Guide, Independent City Owned Rapid Transit Railroad|date=c. 1937}} The E began using the local tracks on August 19, 1933, when the IND Queens Boulevard Line opened.{{cite news |date=August 18, 1933 |title=Two Subway Units Open at Midnight |page=17 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1933/08/18/archives/two-subway-units-open-at-midnight-links-in-cityowned-system-in.html |access-date=June 29, 2018 |issn=0362-4331}}

{{NYCS Platform Layout IND Eighth Avenue Line}}

File:23 St SB plat.JPG

File:23 St 8 Av SB entrance.JPG

File:IND Eighth 23rd Street Mosaic Name Tablet.jpg

This underground station contains four tracks and two side platforms. The two center tracks are used by the A express train during daytime hours. Just north of this station, a storage track begins between the two express tracks. This track runs north and stub-ends at the south end of the center platform at 34th Street–Penn Station.

There is no trim line in this station, but both platform walls have mosaic name tablets reading "23RD ST." in white sans-serif lettering on a yellow background and same yellow border. Small "23" tile captions in white numbering on a black background run along the walls, and directional signs in the same format are present below some of the name tablets. Yellow I-beam columns run along the platforms at regular intervals, alternating ones having the standard black station name plate with white lettering.

The station was planned to be renovated as part of the 2010–2014 MTA Capital Program. An MTA study conducted in 2014 found that 40% of station components were out of date.{{cite report|url=http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/pdf/AC_LineReview.pdf|title=Review of the A and C Lines|date=December 11, 2015|publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority|access-date=January 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203061138/http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/pdf/AC_LineReview.pdf|archive-date=February 3, 2020}} In 2015–2016, two of the staircases were renovated.{{cite web | title=Project Details |publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority | url=http://web.mta.info/capitaldashboard/allframenew_head.html?PROJNUM=t60412g1&PLTYPE=1&DISPLAYALL=Y | access-date=September 1, 2020}} The MTA undertook design studies in the 2015–2019 MTA Capital Program, but deferred actual construction.{{cite web | title=Project Details |publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority | url=http://web.mta.info/capitaldashboard/allframenew_head.html?PROJNUM=t7041287&PLTYPE=1&DISPLAYALL=Y | access-date=September 1, 2020}}

{{23rd St subway cross section}}

All fare controls are on platform level. The full-time ones are at the south end of the station, at 23rd Street. Each entrance and exit has a turnstile bank, token booth, and two staircases to the street. The northbound side leads to either eastern corner of 23rd Street and Eighth Avenue and the southbound side leads to either western corner. A crossunder within fare control at the 23rd Street end connects both platforms.{{cite web|title=MTA Neighborhood Maps: Chelsea|url=http://web.mta.info/maps/neighborhoods/mn/M06_Chelsea_2015.pdf|website=mta.info|publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority|access-date=December 11, 2015|date=2015}}

Each platform has an exit-only at the center, at 24th Street. Two High Entry-Exit Turnstiles lead to a small mezzanine, where a single staircase goes up to the streets. The northbound side leads to the southeast corner of 24th Street and 8th Avenue, and the southbound side to the northwest corner.

Both platforms have another fare control area at their north ends, at 25th Street, that require going up a short flight of stairs to reach. Though open at all times, they are unstaffed, containing HEET turnstiles without a token booth. Each entrance here has two street stairs, the northbound side to either eastern corner of 25th Street and Eighth Avenue and the southbound side to either western corner. The crossunder here is closed.

{{reflist}}

{{commons category}}

• {{NYCS ref|http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/stations?7:3242|IND 8th Avenue|23rd Street}}
• Station Reporter — [https://web.archive.org/web/20130313005345/http://www.stationreporter.net/ctrain.htm C Train]
• Station Reporter — [https://web.archive.org/web/20120204051350/http://www.stationreporter.net/etrain.htm E Train]
• [https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=W+59th+St,+New+York,+10116&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=34.450489,76.552734&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=FUsLbgIdvDCX-w&split=0&hq=&hnear=W+59th+St,+New+York&ll=40.745347,-73.998606&spn=0.003853,0.013433&z=17&lci=transit&layer=c&cbll=40.745397,-73.998733&panoid=1A2Bs9CYFXgL_vMHHjHLIw&cbp=12,34.64,,0,7.08 23rd Street Entrance from Google Maps Street View]
• [https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=W+59th+St,+New+York,+10116&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=34.450489,76.552734&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=FUsLbgIdvDCX-w&split=0&hq=&hnear=W+59th+St,+New+York&ll=40.746867,-73.996117&spn=0.003853,0.013433&z=17&lci=transit&layer=c&cbll=40.745952,-73.998009&panoid=c4hvjFLuyHdOMh3R-bCJuA&cbp=12,137.25,,0,5 24th Street Exit Only Stairs from Google Maps Street View]
• [https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=8+Av+%26+23+st+nyc&sll=40.746387,-73.997984&sspn=0.003853,0.013433&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=W+23rd+St+%26+8th+Ave,+New+York,+10011&ll=40.74659,-73.997566&spn=0.004023,0.013433&z=17&lci=transit&layer=c&cbll=40.746628,-73.997664&panoid=Ra_W8V2C1QA6F9xv5SoP8w&cbp=12,352.2,,0,4.75 25th Street Entrance from Google Maps Street View]
• [http://www.google.com/maps/@40.7466258,-73.9975705,3a,82.8y,145.38h,92.18t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-pjBPoMdgxoE%2FVhsxUQwYbbI%2FAAAAAAAA440%2FV-TT1_YJGns!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh3.googleusercontent.com%2F-pjBPoMdgxoE%2FVhsxUQwYbbI%2FAAAAAAAA440%2FV-TT1_YJGns%2Fw203-h100-n-k-no%2F!7i8704!8i4352!6m1!1e1 Platforms from Google Maps Street View]

{{Chelsea, Manhattan}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:23rd Street (Ind Eighth Avenue Line)}}

Category:IND Eighth Avenue Line stations

Category:Eighth Avenue (Manhattan)

Category:New York City Subway stations in Manhattan

Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 1932

Category:Chelsea, Manhattan

Category:23rd Street (Manhattan)