57th Street (IND Sixth Avenue Line)

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57th Street is a station on the IND Sixth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 57th Street and Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, it is served by the F train at all times. North of the station, the line turns east and becomes the IND 63rd Street Line.

First announced in 1962, the 57th Street station was opened on July 1, 1968, at the cost of $13.2 million. The station was a terminal station until 1989, after which all service was extended to 21st Street-Queensbridge. The station was temporarily served by shuttle trains in the 1990s during the 63rd Street Line's reconstruction.

Video 57th Street (IND Sixth Avenue Line)

History

The station was built as part of the Chrystie Street Connection, which expanded train capacity on the Sixth Avenue Line. The Sixth Avenue extension to the new terminal at 57th Street was announced in 1962. The next year, the contract to construct the IND Sixth Avenue Line between 52nd and 58th Streets, including the 57th Street station, was awarded to Slattery Construction Company for $7.5 million (equivalent to $59,400,000 in 2016). Construction of the spur ultimately cost $13.2 million.

The 57th Street station opened on July 1, 1968, as one of two stations added during construction of the Chrystie Street Connection, the other being Grand Street. The opening of the station was celebrated by a 300-guest lunch on the platform on June 27, which was attended by Deputy Mayor Robert W. Sweet; MTA Chairman William J. Ronan; and Avenue of the Americas Association president Eyssell. The new station was intended to serve the new residential and commercial developments being built in the immediate area. Upon its opening, the 57th Street station acted as the terminus of two services, the B during rush hours and KK during off-peak hours. The KK was renamed the K in 1974 and eliminated in 1976. From 1978 to 1990, this station was also served by the JFK Express service to the eponymous airport.

When the north side of the Manhattan Bridge was closed for construction from 1986-1998 and again from July to December 2001, this station was only served by a shuttle train along Sixth Avenue. Starting in 1988, this station was served by Q trains on weekdays, B trains on weekday evenings and weekends, and F trains during late nights. This was the terminal for all services until the IND 63rd Street Line to 21st Street-Queensbridge opened on October 29, 1989 Late night F-train service was replaced by a shuttle in 1997. Since December 2001, when the 63rd Street Tunnel Connector opened in Queens, the F route has served this station at all times, simultaneous with the withdrawal of all other services from the 63rd Street Line.

Under the 2015-2019 MTA Capital Plan, this station, along with 32 others, will undergo a complete overhaul as part of the Enhanced Station Initiative. Updates would include cellular service, Wi-Fi, USB charging stations, interactive service advisories and maps, improved signage, and improved station lighting.

Maps 57th Street (IND Sixth Avenue Line)

Station layout

57th Street contains two tracks and a single island platform serving both tracks. From the full-length mezzanine, there are six staircases to the platform. The station walls are plain white, with "57th St" stenciled on long, narrow tiles along the wall. The platform is approximately 35 feet (11 m) below ground.

Much of the station design remains unchanged from 1968 opening. As of 2008, the "Next Train" indicator lights were still hanging from the platform ceiling, dating from the period when the station was a terminal two decades prior. The tower and the crew area still exist. They were used until the 63rd Street extension opened to 21st Street-Queensbridge in 1989, but were back in service in 1998 when trains from Sixth Avenue terminated here due to long term construction work that necessitated a shuttle train from Queensbridge to 57th Street-Seventh Avenue on the BMT Broadway Line. Once all construction work was completed on the 63rd Street Connector to the IND Queens Boulevard Line in December 2001, the tower was permanently abandoned.

A plaque dedicated to retired Colonel John T. O'Neill, who served as the New York City Transit Authority's Chief Engineer until his death in 1978, sits next to the booth on the west wall.

Exits

There are eight street staircases spread on both sides of Sixth Avenue from 56th to 57th Streets. These entrances have an unusual design, with lit posts reading "SUBWAY" on their side rather than the lighted red-or-green globes typical to other station entrances.