Cathedral Parkway–110th Street station (IND Eighth Avenue Line)

For other uses, see 110th Street (disambiguation).

The Cathedral Parkway–110th Street station^[4] is a local station on the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. It is located in the Upper West Side and Morningside Heights, Manhattan, at West 110th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard at the northwest corner of Central Park. The station is served by the B on weekdays, the C train at all times except nights, and the A train during late nights only.

Cathedral Parkway–110 Street  ​
New York City Subway station (rapid transit)
Northbound platform with an R68A B train
Station statistics
Address	West 110th Street (Cathedral Parkway) & Frederick Douglass Boulevard New York, New York
Borough	Manhattan
Locale	Upper West Side, Harlem, Morningside Heights
Coordinates	40.800524°N 73.958244°W / 40.800524; -73.958244
Division	B (IND)[1]
Line	IND Eighth Avenue Line
Services	A  (late nights) ​   B  (weekdays during the day) ​   C  (all except late nights)
Transit	NYCT Bus: M3, M4, M10
Structure	Underground
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	4
Other information
Opened	September 10, 1932; 92 years ago (1932-09-10)[2]
Closed	April 9, 2018; 6 years ago (2018-04-09) (reconstruction)
Rebuilt	September 2, 2018; 6 years ago (2018-09-02)
Opposite- direction transfer	Yes
Traffic
2023	1,684,290[3]  10.5%
Rank	189 out of 423[3]
Services Preceding station New York City Subway Following station 116th Street A  ​B  ​C  via 145th Street Local 103rd Street A  ​B  ​C  via 59th Street–Columbus Circle does not stop here
Location Show map of New York City Subway Show map of New York City Show map of New York
Track layout Legend to 116th Street to 103rd Street
Street map
Station service legend Symbol Description Stops all times except late nights Stops late nights only Stops weekdays during the day

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 BMT.^[5][6] On December 9, 1924, the New York City Board of Transportation (BOT) gave preliminary approval for the construction of the IND Eighth Avenue Line.^[7] 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.^[7][8] The BOT announced a list of stations on the new line in February 1928, with a local station at 108th Street.^[9]

The finishes at the five stations between 81st Street and 110th Street were 18 percent completed by May 1930.^[10] By that August, the BOT reported that the Eighth Avenue Line was nearly completed and that the five stations from 81st to 110th Street were 99 percent completed.^[11] The entire line was completed by September 1931, except for the installation of turnstiles.^[12] A preview event for the new subway was hosted on September 8, 1932, two days before the official opening.^[13][14] The 110th 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.^[15][16] Construction of the whole line cost $191.2 million (equivalent to $4,269.8 million in 2023). While the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line already provided parallel service, the new Eighth Avenue subway via Central Park West and Frederick Douglass Boulevard provided an alternative route.^[17]

Under the 2015–2019 Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Capital Plan, the station underwent a complete overhaul as part of the Enhanced Station Initiative and was entirely closed for several months. Updates included cellular service, Wi-Fi, USB charging stations, interactive service advisories and maps.^[18][19] A request for proposals for the 72nd Street, 86th Street, Cathedral Parkway–110th Street, and 163rd Street–Amsterdam Avenue stations was issued on June 1, 2017,^[20] and the New York City Transit and Bus Committee officially recommended that the MTA Board award the $111 million contract to ECCO III Enterprises in October 2017.^[21] As part of the renovations, the station was closed from April 9, 2018 to September 2, 2018.^[22] The southbound platform opened first, on September 2, followed by the northbound platform on September 4.^[23]

Station layout

Ground	Street level	Exit/entrance
Platform level	Side platform
	Northbound local	← weekdays toward Bedford Park Boulevard or 145th Street (116th Street) ← toward 168th Street (116th Street) ← toward Inwood–207th Street late nights (116th Street)
	Northbound express	← do not stop here
	Southbound express	→ do not stop here →
	Southbound local	→ weekdays toward Brighton Beach (103rd Street) → → toward Euclid Avenue (103rd Street) → → toward Far Rockaway–Mott Avenue late nights (103rd Street) →
	Side platform

Mosaic name tablet

This underground station has four tracks and two side platforms.^[24]

The two center express tracks are used by the A train during daytime hours and the D train at all times.

The platforms have no trim line, but there are mosaic name tablets reading "110TH STREET CATHEDRAL P'KWAY." in white sans-serif lettering broken into two lines on a midnight blue background and black border. Grey (previously blue) I-beam columns run at regular intervals with alternating ones having the standard black station name plate in white lettering. Toward the southern end of the station, the northbound express track descends below the other three tracks of the Eighth Avenue Line.^[24]

At the south end of the station, two staircases from each platform go up to a mezzanine above the tracks that allows a free transfer between directions. There was a crossunder at the 110th Street exits, but it was closed in 1992.^[25]

The artwork at the station, installed in 1999, is called Migrations by Christopher Wynter in memory of Athie L. Wynter. It has three different areas of mosaic panels, two on each platform and one on the full-time mezzanine.^[26] As part of the 2018 renovation, this artwork was expanded.^[23][27]

Exits

This station's full-time entrance/exit is at the south end, serving 109th Street. From the mezzanine above the tracks at the south end of the station, a turnstile bank provides entrance/exit from the system. Outside of fare control, there is a token booth and two staircases to the street. The southbound platform has an additional same-level entrance/exit at the north end, serving 110th Street. It has a part-time bank of four turnstiles and is unstaffed.^[28]

• One stair, NW corner of Frederick Douglass Circle at 110th Street and Central Park West (southbound only; part-time)^[28]
• One stair, SW corner of Central Park West and West 109th Street (both platforms; full-time)^[28]
• One stair, east side of Central Park West at West 109th Street, within Central Park (both platforms; full-time)^[28]

The northbound platform formerly had an entrance/exit to the northeast corner of Frederick Douglass Circle; this entrance corresponded to the open exit to the northwest corner of Frederick Douglass Circle on the southbound platform and is indicated by directional "110" signs without arrows below mosaics of the station name.^[26] Both platforms also had an entrance/exit at the north end to both northern corners of 111th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard; the northbound platform's entrance/exit led to the northeastern corner and the southbound platform's entrance/exit leading to the northwestern corner. All these exits have been sealed up with white tiling and used as employee-only spaces.^[26] The mezzanine had a second exit to the northwestern corner of 109th Street and Central Park West.

Nearby points of interest

• Columbia University^[28]
• Morningside Park^[28]
• Cathedral of St. John the Divine^[28]

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. "Subway Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. September 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
5. "Two Subway Routes Adopted by City". The New York Times. August 4, 1923. p. 9. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
6. "Plans Now Ready to Start Subways". The New York Times. March 12, 1924. p. 1. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
7. "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.
8. 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.
9. "Express and Local Stations For New Eighth Avenue Line". New York Herald Tribune. February 5, 1928. p. B1. ISSN 1941-0646. ProQuest 1113431477.
10. "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.
11. "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.
12. 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.
13. "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.
14. "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.
15. 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.
16. 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.
17. Duffus, R. l (September 9, 1932). "NEW LINE FIRST UNIT IN CITY-WIDE SYSTEM; 8th Av. Tube to Ease West Side Congestion at Once -- Branches to Link 4 Boroughs Later. LAST WORD IN SUBWAYS Run From 207th to Chambers St. Cut to 33 Minutes -- 42d St. Has World's Largest Station. COST HAS BEEN $191,200,000 Years of Digging Up City Streets, Tunneling Rock and Building Road Finally Brought to Completion". The New York Times. p. 12. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
18. Whitford, Emma (January 8, 2016). "MTA Will Completely Close 30 Subway Stations For Months-Long "Revamp"". Gothamist. Archived from the original on August 1, 2016. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
19. "MTAStations" (PDF). governor.ny.gov. Government of the State of New York. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
20. "Enhanced Stations Initiative Program; Contract A·36622C (Package 3) for Design & Construction at 72nd Street, 86th Street, Cathedral Parkway (110th Street), and 163rd Street - Amsterdam Avenue Stations on the 8th Avenue Line (IND), Manhattan" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. June 1, 2017. Retrieved July 27, 2017.
21. "New York City Transit and Bus Committee Meeting" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. October 23, 2017. p. 131. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 31, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
22. Warerkar, Tanay (February 19, 2018). "MTA will shutter 4 Upper Manhattan subway stations for repairs". Curbed NY. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
23. "Press Release - NYC Transit - Structural Repairs & Functional Enhancements at Cathedral Pkwy-110 St Subway Station to be Completed Labor Day Weekend". MTA. August 27, 2018. Archived from the original on August 30, 2019. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
24. Dougherty, Peter (2006) [2002]. Tracks of the New York City Subway 2006 (3rd ed.). Dougherty. OCLC 49777633 – via Google Books.
25. "Img_0448". August 5, 2019.
26. 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.
27. "Arts & Design - NYCT Permanent Art". MTA. Retrieved October 25, 2018.
28. "MTA Neighborhood Maps: Morningside Heights" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2015. Retrieved July 12, 2015.

External links

• nycsubway.org – IND 8th Avenue: 110th Street/Cathedral Parkway
• nycsubway.org – Migrations Artwork by Christopher Wynter (1999)
• Station Reporter – B Train
• Station Reporter – C Train
• The Subway Nut – 110th Street–Cathedral Parkway Pictures Archived 2017-08-26 at the Wayback Machine
• MTA's Arts For Transit – Cathedral Parkway–110th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
• Frederick Douglass Circle entrance from Google Maps Street View
• 109th Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
• 109th Street entrance in Central Park from Google Maps Street View
• Platform from Google Maps Street View