23rd Street station (IND Eighth Avenue Line)

For the station in Queens also served by the E train, see Court Square–23rd Street (IND Queens Boulevard Line). For other uses, see 23rd Street.

The 23rd Street station is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of 23rd Street and Eighth Avenue in Chelsea, Manhattan. It is served by the C and E trains, the former of which is replaced by the A train during late nights.

23 Street  ​​
New York City Subway station (rapid transit)
C train departing from the northbound platform
Station statistics
Address	West 23rd Street & Eighth Avenue New York, New York
Borough	Manhattan
Locale	Chelsea
Coordinates	40.745274°N 73.998499°W / 40.745274; -73.998499
Division	B (IND)[1]
Line	IND Eighth Avenue Line
Services	A  (late nights) ​   C  (all except late nights) ​   E  (all times)
Transit	NYCT Bus: M20, M23 SBS
Structure	Underground
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	4
Other information
Opened	September 10, 1932 (92 years ago) (1932-09-10)[2]
Opposite- direction transfer	Yes
Traffic
2023	4,370,344[3]  12.1%
Rank	63 out of 423[3]
Services Preceding station New York City Subway Following station 34th Street–Penn Station A  ​C  ​E  via 50th Street Local 14th Street A  ​C  ​E  via Canal Street
Location Show map of New York City Subway Show map of New York City Show map of New York
Track layout Legend to 34th Street–Penn Station to 14th Street
Street map
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times except late nights Stops all times Stops late nights only

History

New York City mayor John Francis Hylan's original plans for the Independent Subway System (IND), proposed in 1922, included building over 100 miles (160 km) of new lines and taking over nearly 100 miles (160 km) 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).^[4][5] On December 9, 1924, the New York City Board of Transportation (BOT) gave preliminary approval for the construction of the IND Eighth Avenue Line.^[6] 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.^[6][7] The BOT announced a list of stations on the new line in February 1928, with a local station at 23rd Street.^[8]

Most of the Eighth Avenue Line was dug using a cheap cut-and-cover method.^[9][10] The finishes at the four stations between 14th and 42nd Street were 21 percent completed by May 1930.^[11] 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.^[12] The entire line was completed by September 1931, except for the installation of turnstiles.^[13]

A preview event for the new subway was hosted on September 8, 1932, two days before the official opening.^[14][15] 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.^[16][17] When the station opened, it was served by local AA trains. When the IND Concourse Line opened on July 1, 1933,^[18] all locals became CC trains to the Concourse Line.^[19] The E began using the local tracks on August 19, 1933, when the IND Queens Boulevard Line opened.^[20]

Station layout

Ground	Street level	Exit/entrance
Platform level	Side platform
	Northbound local	← toward 168th Street (34th Street–Penn Station) ← toward Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer (34th Street–Penn Station) ← toward Inwood–207th Street late nights (34th Street–Penn Station)
	Northbound express	← does not stop here
	Southbound express	→ does not stop here →
	Southbound local	→ toward Euclid Avenue (14th Street) → → toward World Trade Center (14th Street) → → toward Far Rockaway–Mott Avenue late nights (14th Street) →
	Side platform
Basement 2	Crossunder	Connection between platforms

Crossunder on the southbound platform

Western entrance

Mosaic name tablet

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.^[21] In 2015–2016, two of the staircases were renovated.^[22] The MTA undertook design studies in the 2015–2019 MTA Capital Program, but deferred actual construction.^[23]

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

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Exits

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.^[24]

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.^[24]

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.^[24]

References

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. "List of the 28 Stations on the New 8th Av. Line". The New York Times. September 10, 1932. p. 6. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
3. "Annual Subway Ridership (2018–2023)". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
4. "Two Subway Routes Adopted by City". The New York Times. August 4, 1923. p. 9. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
5. "Plans Now Ready to Start Subways". The New York Times. March 12, 1924. p. 1. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
6. "Hylan Subway Plan Links Four Boroughs at $450,000,000 Cost". The New York Times. December 10, 1924. p. 1. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
7. 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.
8. "Express and Local Stations For New Eighth Avenue Line". New York Herald Tribune. February 5, 1928. p. B1. ISSN 1941-0646. ProQuest 1113431477.
9. Warner, Arthur (November 22, 1931). "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". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
10. Daly, William Jerome (February 5, 1928). "New Subway Work Far Advanced, From the Circle to 207th Street: Small Section Near St. Nicholas Avenue and 148th Street Being Constructed". New York Herald Tribune. p. B1. ProQuest 1113431484.
11. "Progress is Rapid on 8th Av. Subway; Board's Engineers Report Spurt in Building Is Likely to Open the Line in July, 1930". The New York Times. May 26, 1930. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
12. "Eighth Av. Subway Nearly Completed; Basic Construction Work From Chambers to 207th St. Done Except on Few Short Stretches". The New York Times. August 24, 1930. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
13. O'Brien, John C. (September 9, 1931). "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". New York Herald Tribune. p. 1. ISSN 1941-0646. ProQuest 1331181357.
14. "Sightseers Invade New Subway When Barricade Is lifted". The New York Times. September 9, 1932. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 1, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
15. "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". New York Herald Tribune. September 9, 1932. p. 1. ProQuest 1125436641.
16. Crowell, Paul (September 10, 1932). "Gay Midnight Crowd Rides First Trains In The New Subway: Throngs at Station an Hour Before Time, Rush Turnstiles When Chains are Dropped" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
17. Sebring, Lewis B. (September 10, 1932). "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". New York Herald Tribune. p. 1. ISSN 1941-0646. ProQuest 1114839882.
18. "New Bronx Subway Starts Operation". The New York Times. July 1, 1933. p. 15. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
19. Station Guide, Independent City Owned Rapid Transit Railroad (PDF) (Map). New York City Board of Transportation. c. 1937.
20. "Two Subway Units Open at Midnight". The New York Times. August 18, 1933. p. 17. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
21. Review of the A and C Lines (PDF) (Report). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. December 11, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 3, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
22. "Project Details". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
23. "Project Details". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
24. "MTA Neighborhood Maps: Chelsea" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015.

External links

• nycsubway.org – IND 8th Avenue: 23rd Street
• Station Reporter — C Train
• Station Reporter — E Train
• 23rd Street Entrance from Google Maps Street View
• 24th Street Exit Only Stairs from Google Maps Street View
• 25th Street Entrance from Google Maps Street View
• Platforms from Google Maps Street View