Murray Hill station (LIRR)

File:LIRR 1891 Murray Hill station.jpgThe Murray Hill station was originally built by the Flushing and North Side Railroad April 1889 as a grade level station.{{Cite web |title=Flushing North Side of Long Island History |url=http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/Flushing,%20North%20Shore%20and%20Central%20Railroad/Flushing%20North%20Shore%20and%20Central.htm |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=www.trainsarefun.com}} The station's opening helped spur new, rapid growth within the community.{{Cite news |date=1906-09-02 |title=Deal For Flushing Lots.; Company Buys Tract Near Murray Hill Station – Other Long Island Business. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1906/09/02/archives/deal-for-flushing-lots-company-buys-tract-near-murray-hill-station.html |access-date=2025-01-07 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite news |last=Cohen |first=Joyce |date=2003-03-23 |title=If You're Thinking of Living In/Murray Hill, Queens; The Name's the Same, the Pace is Slower |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/23/realestate/if-you-re-thinking-living-murray-hill-queens-name-s-same-pace-slower.html |access-date=2025-01-07 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

The original station was razed in 1912, when the Port Washington Branch was depressed below grade in this area during a grade crossing elimination project throughout the Broadway & Murray Hill sections of Flushing, which took place between 1912 and 1914, as the area was experiencing rapid growth.{{Cite web |url=http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirrphotos/lirrstationshistory.htm |title=LIRR Station History (TrainsAreFun.com) |access-date=April 1, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170526225709/http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirrphotos/lirrstationshistory.htm |archive-date=May 26, 2017 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite news |date=1910-10-07 |title=FLUSHING OPPOSES TRACK RAISING PLAN; Residents of Broadway to Fight Grade Changes Proposed by Long Island Railroad. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1910/10/07/archives/flushing-opposes-track-raising-plan-residents-of-broadway-to-fight.html |access-date=2025-01-07 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite news |date=1910-10-08 |title=RAILWAY STANDS BY FLUSHING TRACK PLAN; Will Only Alter Grades When Forced by the City if Embankment Is Rejected. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1910/10/08/archives/railway-stands-by-flushing-track-plan-will-only-alter-grades-when.html |access-date=2025-01-07 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} As part of this project, which was executed by the New York Public Service Commission and saw initial controversy after locals expressed concerns over damages to properties, new high-level platforms were constructed in the open cut, the grade crossings were replaced by overpasses to carry the roads over the depressed tracks, and the original station house was demolished and was replaced in July 1914 with one built on a bridge built over the tracks.[http://forgotten-ny.com/2002/05/port-washington-branch-part-1-winfield-elmhurst-to-broadway/pwmurray1/ 1950s photo of 1914-64 Overpass Station House (Forgotten New York.com)]

In 1964, the 1914-built station house was torn down and was not replaced, thus making Murray Hill an unstaffed station; Murray Hill continues to operate as an unstaffed station, without a station house.

During the latter half of the 1970s, the station and its immediate vicinity were suffering from some decline, with several businesses closing and the station being subjected to an endemic of vandalism and dumping – a trend seen at the time throughout much of New York City.{{Cite news |last=Schindler |first=Jean |date=November 28, 1978 |title=Plaza Plan Would Cap LIRR 'Cut' |work=Newsday |pages=19Q }}{{Cite news |last=Durkin |first=Laura |date=May 20, 1981 |title=Vandals Derail Train Near Shea Stadium |work=Newsday |pages=6 }}{{Cite news |last=Rubington |first=Noel |date=February 11, 1981 |title=Trying to Dissect LIRR 'Disaster' |work=Newsday |pages=6 ]}} In 1978, the Flushing Savings Bank, which was headquartered nearby on Northern Boulevard, proposed capping the station and tracks with a public plaza between Barton Avenue and 149th street, in an attempt to revitalize the area and reverse the decline; the surrounding storefronts would also be redesigned in the continental architectural style. Although the plaza was never constructed and the tracks were never capped, the decline eventually reversed, and the station was cleaned & repaired.{{Cite news |last=Bleyer |first=Bill |date=September 8, 1987 |title=Surprise Visits Find Rail Workers on Jobs |work=Newsday |pages=22 }}

Minor renovations to the station took place between 1991 and 1993.

File:MTA Completes Upgrade and Renewal of Murray Hill LIRR Station (49855518757).jpg

In 2005, the Murray Hill station underwent further renovations, with a new pedestrian bridge being erected and other station amenities being added.

Between 2019 and 2020, the underwent a major station modernization project, through which it was made wheelchair accessible and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, with the installation of two elevators.{{cite web |last=Monteverdi |first=Suzanne |date=February 8, 2018 |title=Two new elevators coming to Flushing's Murray Hill LIRR station in 2019 |url=https://qns.com/story/2018/02/08/two-new-elevators-coming-flushings-murray-hill-lirr-station-2019/ |access-date=August 9, 2018 |website=QNS.com}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=March 25, 2020 |title=Capital Program Oversight Committee Meeting March 2020 |url=https://new.mta.info/document/15766 |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=February 2, 2020 |website=mta.info |publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Authority |page=92}}{{Cite web |title=MTA COMPLETES UPGRADE AND RENEWAL OF MURRAY HILL LIRR STATION |url=https://apps.cio.ny.gov/apps/mediaContact/public/view.cfm?parm=BF60A40B-97DE-A1D7-A4CB507A17F7E755 |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=apps.cio.ny.gov}}{{Cite web |date=2020-05-05 |title=New York MTA completes upgrade and renewal of Murray Hill LIRR Station |url=https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/infrastructure/press-release/21136903/mta-long-island-railroad-new-york-mta-completes-upgrade-and-renewal-of-murray-hill-lirr-station |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=Mass Transit}}{{Cite web |title=Murray Hill Station – New Elevators |url=https://www.amodernli.com/project/murray-hill-station-new-elevators/ |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=A Modern LI |language=en-US}} The elevators were originally slated for completion in 2019, but were delayed to mid-2020 due to delays in the delivery of the elevator cabs. The station's elevators ultimately opened by May 4, 2020. The project, which was supported by Congresswoman Grace Meng and New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, also included the installation of LED lighting, CCTV cameras, and new signage, amongst various other improvements.{{Cite web |last=Monteverdi |first=Suzanne |date=2018-02-08 |title=Two new elevators coming to Flushing’s Murray Hill LIRR station in 2019 – QNS |url=https://qns.com/2018/02/two-new-elevators-coming-flushings-murray-hill-lirr-station-2019/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=qns.com |language=en-US}}

The station has two high-level side platforms, each four cars long. The first four cars toward Manhattan and the last four cars toward Great Neck & Port Washington will platform at the station.

• List of Long Island Rail Road stations
• History of the Long Island Rail Road

{{Reflist}}

{{Commonscat-inline|Murray Hill (LIRR station)}}{{LIRR links}}

• Forgotten NY.com(2005 photos):
• [http://forgotten-ny.com/wp-content/gallery/murray_hill/newmurray2.jpg Current Murray Hill "Station" gateway], [http://forgotten-ny.com/wp-content/gallery/murray_hill/newmurray4.jpg Existing pedestrian bridge],
• [http://forgotten-ny.com/wp-content/gallery/murray_hill/newmurray1.jpg Waiting area], and [http://forgotten-ny.com/wp-content/gallery/murray_hill/newmurray5.jpg Bicycle Rack]
• [http://arrts-arrchives.com/MurrayHill.html Murray Hill Station - "MI" Cabin (Arrt's Arrchives)]
• [https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=40.76265,-73.813845&spn=0.003673,0.010986&z=17&layer=c&cbll=40.762427,-73.814502&panoid=vDqyuGrE3A7B_Q86x3N-_A&cbp=12,344.21,,0,6.57 41st Avenue and 149th Place entrance from Google Maps Street View]
• [https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=40.762764,-73.814982&spn=0.003673,0.010986&z=17&layer=c&cbll=40.762839,-73.815017&panoid=u21ynore0MiZ0UWbRxmlOA&cbp=12,75.12,,0,2.63 Barton Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View]
• [https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/103237729589375373179/photos/@40.7625427,-73.8142776,3a,90y,348.7h,83.92t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-G9yqb3uVbcw%2FWJYqDMMtZNI%2FAAAAAAAAflo%2Fkgc6lgn3tekc9LHmgK1Iq6iDKQF-mfD1gCLIB!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh4.googleusercontent.com%2F-G9yqb3uVbcw%2FWJYqDMMtZNI%2FAAAAAAAAflo%2Fkgc6lgn3tekc9LHmgK1Iq6iDKQF-mfD1gCLIB%2Fw203-h100-p-k-no%2F!7i9728!8i4864!4m3!8m2!3m1!1e1!6m1!1e1 Platforms from Google Maps Street View]

{{LIRR stations navbox}}

Category:Railway stations in Queens, New York

Category:Flushing, Queens

Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 1889

Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 1914

Category:Long Island Rail Road stations in New York City

Category:1889 establishments in New York (state)