page_title: 23rd Street station (IND Sixth Avenue Line)
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: 23rd Street station (IND Sixth Avenue Line) / History
caption_attribution_description: English: The 23rd Street/Sixth Avenue station in New York City after Enhanced Station Initiative renovations, seen in December 2018
context_page_description: 23rd Street 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 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.
context_section_description: In 1924, the Independent Subway System (IND) submitted its list of proposed subway routes to the New York City Board of Transportation, which approved the program, which included the construction of the IND Sixth Avenue Line. 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.
  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. 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. 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, but closed in December 1938.
  Ground was broken for two new express tracks between the West Fourth Street and 34th Street–Herald Square stations on April 19, 1961. 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. Although the express tracks, which went into service in 1967, 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.
  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. 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. However, the MTA Board temporarily deferred the vote for these packages after city representatives refused to vote to award the contracts. The contract was put back for a vote in February, where it was ultimately approved. The subway station was closed for renovations on July 23, 2018, and reopened slightly ahead of schedule on November 29, 2018. 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.
caption: Digital maps/noticeboards on station wall
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