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23rd Street station (IND Sixth Avenue Line)

Coordinates: 40°44′35″N 73°59′34″W / 40.742933°N 73.992877°W / 40.742933; -73.992877
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For the station in Queens also served by the M train, see Court Square–23rd Street (IND Queens Boulevard Line). For other uses, see 23rd Street.

 23 Street
 "F" train"F" express train​"M" train
New York City Subway station (rapid transit)
Northbound platform
Station statistics
AddressWest 23rd Street & Sixth Avenue
New York, New York
BoroughManhattan
LocaleChelsea, Flatiron District
Coordinates40°44′35″N 73°59′34″W / 40.742933°N 73.992877°W / 40.742933; -73.992877
DivisionB (IND)[1]
Line   IND Sixth Avenue Line
Services   F all times (all times) <F> two rush hour trains, peak direction (two rush hour trains, peak direction)
​   M weekdays during the day (weekdays during the day)
TransitBus transport NYCT Bus: M7, M23 SBS, M55
Port Authority Trans-Hudson PATH: JSQ–33, HOB–33, JSQ–33 (via HOB) (at 23rd Street)
StructureUnderground
Platforms2 side platforms
Tracks2
Other information
OpenedDecember 15, 1940 (83 years ago) (1940-12-15)[2]
ClosedJuly 23, 2018; 6 years ago (2018-07-23) (reconstruction)
RebuiltNovember 29, 2018; 5 years ago (2018-11-29)
Opposite-
direction
transfer		No
Traffic
20235,423,352[3] Increase 14.1%
Rank46 out of 423[3]
Services
Preceding station New York City Subway New York City Subway Following station
34th Street–Herald Square
F all times <F> two rush hour trains, peak direction ​M weekdays during the day
via 47th–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center
Local 		14th Street
F all times <F> two rush hour trains, peak direction ​M weekdays during the day
via Broadway–Lafayette Street
"B" train and "D" train do not stop here
Location
23rd Street station (IND Sixth Avenue Line) is located in New York City Subway
23rd Street station (IND Sixth Avenue Line)
23rd Street station (IND Sixth Avenue Line) is located in New York City
23rd Street station (IND Sixth Avenue Line)
23rd Street station (IND Sixth Avenue Line) is located in New York
23rd Street station (IND Sixth Avenue Line)
Track layout

Legend
PATH to 33rd Street
Sixth Ave Line
to 34th St–Herald Sq
23rd Street (NYCS)
23rd Street (PATH)
Sixth Ave Line to 14th Street
PATH to 14th Street
Street map

Map

Station service legend
Symbol Description
Stops all times Stops all times
Stops all times except late nights Stops all times except late nights
Stops rush hours in the peak direction only (limited service) Stops rush hours in the peak direction only (limited service)
Stops weekdays during the day Stops weekdays during the day

The 23rd Street station is a local station on the IND Sixth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of 23rd Street and Sixth Avenue (Avenue of the Americas) in Manhattan. It is served by the F train at all times, the M train during weekdays, and by the <F> train during rush hours in the peak direction. This station and 14th Street are the only two local stations on the Sixth Avenue Line.

The 23rd Street station of the IND Sixth Avenue Line shares entrances with the 23rd Street station of the PATH, which is located in between this station's two platforms.

History

[edit]
Digital maps/noticeboards on station wall

In 1924, the Independent Subway System (IND) submitted its list of proposed subway routes to the New York City Board of Transportation, which included the construction of the IND Sixth Avenue Line. The Board approved the program.[4] As part of the construction of the line, the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad's (now PATH) 23rd Street station had to be rebuilt to provide space for the Sixth Avenue Line's 23rd Street stop, which was to be built at the same level as the Hudson and Manhattan's stop.[2][5] In 1937, the James McCreery Realty Company, the owner of a building at the southeastern corner of 23rd Street and Sixth Avenue, granted the IND the right to build two staircases outside that building.[6]

This station opened on December 15, 1940, as local subway service began on Sixth Avenue from the West Fourth Street subway station to the 47th–50th Streets station, with track connections to the IND 53rd Street Line. The Sixth Avenue Line's construction cost $59.5 million.[2] Service was originally provided by the D, which ran between Norwood–205th Street and Hudson Terminal, and the F, which ran between Parsons Boulevard and Church Avenue.[7][8][9] This station replaced the 23rd Street station on the elevated IRT Sixth Avenue Line, which remained open while construction on the Sixth Avenue subway proceeded,[10][11] but closed in December 1938.[12]

Holiday Train at the station before the 2018 renovations

Ground was broken for two new express tracks between the West Fourth Street and 34th Street–Herald Square stations on April 19, 1961.[13] The express tracks were built 80 feet (24 m) beneath the surface. The construction was done in two portions. The first section was between West 9th and 19th Streets, and the second section was between West 19th and 31st Streets.[14] Although the express tracks, which went into service in 1967,[15] do not serve this station, provisions were incorporated into the design of the tunnel to permit the addition of a future lower level station here without disturbances to train operation.[16]

Under the 2015–2019 MTA Capital Plan, this station, along with 32 others, underwent a complete overhaul as part of the Enhanced Station Initiative. Updates included cellular service, Wi-Fi, USB charging stations, interactive service advisories and maps, improved signage, and improved station lighting.[17][18] In January 2018, the NYCT and Bus Committee recommended that Judlau Contracting receive the $125 million contract for the renovations of 57th and 23rd Streets on the IND Sixth Avenue Line; 28th Street on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line, and 34th Street–Penn Station on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line and IND Eighth Avenue Line.[19] However, the MTA Board temporarily deferred the vote for these packages after city representatives refused to vote to award the contracts.[20][21] The contract was put back for a vote in February, where it was ultimately approved.[22] The subway station was closed for renovations on July 23, 2018,[23] and reopened slightly ahead of schedule on November 29, 2018.[24][25][26] Access to the PATH station was retained during the renovation via the street stairs on the southern side of the station, which are owned by the Port Authority; hence, those entrances were not renovated.[23]

Station layout

[edit]
G Street level Exit/entrance
B1
Sixth Avenue and PATH platforms 		West mezzanine Fare control, MetroCard and OMNY machines
Side platform
Northbound local ← "F" train"F" express train toward Jamaica–179th Street (34th Street–Herald Square)
← "M" train weekdays toward Forest Hills–71st Avenue (34th Street–Herald Square)
Side platform
Northbound ←      HOB–33 weekdays toward 33rd Street (Terminus)
←           JSQ–33 (via HOB weekends) toward 33rd Street (Terminus)
Southbound →      HOB–33 weekdays toward Hoboken (14th Street) →
→           JSQ–33 (via HOB weekends) toward Journal Square (14th Street) →
Side platform
Southbound local → "F" train"F" express train toward Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue (14th Street) →
→ "M" train weekdays toward Middle Village–Metropolitan Avenue (14th Street) →
Side platform
East mezzanine Fare control, station agent, MetroCard and OMNY machines
B2 Underpass Connection between PATH platforms
B3
Lower level[27] 		Northbound express ← "B" train"D" train do not stop here
Southbound express → "B" train"D" train do not stop here →
Stationary Figures

This underground station has two tracks and two side platforms.[28] No crossover, crossunder, or mezzanine exists to allow a free transfer between directions. The PATH tracks, which were built 40 years before the Sixth Avenue Line, are behind the trackway walls where there would typically be the express tracks. The Sixth Avenue PATH tracks are on top of the express tracks used by the B and D, which were constructed in the mid-1960s using a "deep-bore" tunneling method and both sets of tracks are not visible from the platforms.[27] A green trim line with a darker green border runs along both track walls, and appears to be obscured by support beams directly underneath 23rd Street. A similar trim line is present on the platforms walls, though is higher and thus is regularly obscured by the angled ceiling supports. The platform walls also have mosaic name tablets reading "23RD STREET" in white sans serif lettering on a dark green background and lighter green border. Small tile captions reading "23" in white lettering on black run below both trim lines.

On the express tracks on the lower level, the deep-bore tunnel's round shape becomes square below this station and at 14th Street, where provisions for lower level platforms were built.

The 2018 artwork at this station is Stationary Figures by William Wegman. It is composed of 11 glass tile mosaics of Wegman's Weimaraners (a breed of dogs), each of which is wearing different attire.[29][26]

23rd St subway cross-section
8th Av 7th Av 6th Av 5th Av &
Broadway 		Park Av
A / C / E 1 / 2 / 3 FM↓ PATH FM↑ N / Q / R / W 6 / <6>
underpass underpass
This box:


Exits

[edit]

The northbound platform has exits on the east side of 23rd Street and Sixth Avenue, while the southbound platform has exits to the west side. Each side of the station has four street staircases on the corresponding side of Sixth Avenue, two to each corner.[30] The station also features direct indoor entrances to the 23rd Street PATH station on both sides; the northbound platform has a direct entrance to the 33rd Street-bound PATH, while the southbound platform has a direct entrance to the New Jersey-bound PATH.

The southern entrances on each side contain simple gray steel fences and are maintained by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, PATH's operator, rather than the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the New York City Subway's operator. The southern entrances appear to be part of the original PATH station, which was built in 1911.[30] The northern entrances on each side contain green-metal fences that are standard to the New York City Subway, with countdown clocks showing the time until the next train arrives. One of the two entrances on each side contain black slabs with digital maps of the surrounding neighborhood, as well as a lighted green bar at the top of the slabs.

Combined New York City Subway and PATH entrances at 23rd Street and Sixth Avenue
From left to right:
  • Southeast corner entrance, seen in 2017
  • Northeast corner entrance, seen in 2017
  • Northeast corner entrance, seen in 2018 after 2015–2019 Capital Program renovation

The station is near the Flatiron Building, Madison Square Park, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower, and New York Life Insurance Building.[31]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Glossary". Second Avenue Subway Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) (PDF). Vol. 1. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. March 4, 2003. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "New Subway Line on 6th Ave. Opens at Midnight Fete". The New York Times. December 15, 1940. p. 1. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Annual Subway Ridership (2018–2023)". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  4. ^ "New Subway Routes in Hylan Program to Cost $186,046,000" (PDF). The New York Times. March 21, 1925. p. 1.
  5. ^ Harrington, John W. (May 5, 1935). "City Plans Its Costliest Subway". The New York Times. p. E-11. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  6. ^ "Grants Tube Stairway Rights". The New York Times. April 22, 1937. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  7. ^ "The New Subway Routes". The New York Times. December 15, 1940. p. 56. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  8. ^ "6th Ave. Tube Adds Two New Services". The New York Times. December 5, 1940. p. 27. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  9. ^ "New Subway to Add 2 Need Services". The New York Times. December 2, 1939. p. 12. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  10. ^ "Delaney for Razing Elevated Line Now". The New York Times. January 11, 1930. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  11. ^ "Ends Move to Scrap 6th Avenue Elevated". The New York Times. September 17, 1931. p. 14. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  12. ^ "Gay Crowds on Last Ride as Sixth Ave. Elevated Ends 60-Year Existence". The New York Times. December 5, 1938. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  13. ^ Levey, Stanley (April 19, 1961). "Construction of New IND Tunnel For 6th Ave. Line Begins Today". The New York Times. p. 41. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  14. ^ Annual Report 1964–1965. New York City Transit Authority. 1965.
  15. ^ Raskin, Joseph B. (2013). The Routes Not Taken: A Trip Through New York City's Unbuilt Subway System. New York, New York: Fordham University Press. doi:10.5422/fordham/9780823253692.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-82325-369-2.
  16. ^ Annual Report 1962–1963. New York City Transit Authority. 1963.
  17. ^ Whitford, Emma (January 8, 2016). "MTA Will Completely Close 30 Subway Stations For Months-Long "Revamp"". Gothamist. Archived from the original on March 23, 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  18. ^ "MTA Stations" (PDF). governor.ny.gov. Government of the State of New York. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 2, 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  19. ^ Transit & Bus Committee Meeting (PDF). New York City Transit and Bus Committee Meeting. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. January 22, 2018. p. 135. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 29, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
  20. ^ Barone, Vincent (January 24, 2018). "Subway station upgrades in Manhattan, Bronx on hold after MTA board tables vote". am New York. Archived from the original on October 3, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  21. ^ Siff, Andrew (January 24, 2018). "MTA Shelves Plan to Modernize Subway Stations Amid Criticism". NBC New York. Archived from the original on April 29, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  22. ^ "Foes Hit Gov's Station Fix Plan". NY Daily News. February 13, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
  23. ^ a b "Repairs and Improvements Coming to Three Manhattan 6FM Subway Stations" (Press release). New York: Metropolitan Transportation Authority. June 15, 2018. Archived from the original on September 4, 2019. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  24. ^ "Service Restored - Trains stop at 23 St". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. November 29, 2018. Archived from the original on November 29, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  25. ^ "Planned Service Changes for: Thursday, November 29, 2018". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. November 29, 2018. Archived from the original on November 29, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  26. ^ a b Yakas, Ben (November 30, 2018). "Photos: The Newly Reopened 23rd Street F/M Station Has Already Gone To The Dogs". Gothamist. Archived from the original on September 2, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  27. ^ a b nycsubway.org – IND 6th Avenue: 23rd Street
  28. ^ Dougherty, Peter (2006) [2002]. Tracks of the New York City Subway 2006 (3rd ed.). Dougherty. OCLC 49777633 – via Google Books.
  29. ^ "23rd Street - William Wegman - Stationary Figures, 2018". web.mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on September 2, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  30. ^ a b "MTA Neighborhood Maps: Chelsea" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  31. ^ "MTA Neighborhood Maps: Union Square / Gramercy Park" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2018. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
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