28th Street (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)

28th Street (IRT Lexington Avenue Line) is a local station on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Park Avenue and East 28th Street in the Manhattan neighborhood of Murray Hill, it is served by the 6 train at all times and the <6> train during weekdays in the peak direction. The station opened on October 27, 1904, as part of the original Interborough Rapid Transit Company subway line and features two side platforms serving the local tracks.

Station layout

The station lies approximately 45 feet beneath Park Avenue and contains two side platforms and four tracks. The express tracks, used by the 4 and 5 trains, run on the inner pair without platform access. Each platform has the original IRT-style mosaic name tablets reading "28TH ST." in white on a blue background and bordered in brown, with smaller directional mosaics and a line of blue and green tile accents. The platforms are connected by a single mezzanine at their center, which contains turnstile banks and two stairways to each platform, leading to a single entrance/exit at the southwest corner of Park Avenue and 28th Street. The station's design is typical of the original IRT stations, with white glazed tile walls and steel I-beam columns painted a dark green.

History

The station opened on October 27, 1904, as part of the first segment of the original IRT line from City Hall to 145th Street. It was originally named 28th Street–Park Avenue. Like other early Lexington Avenue Line stations, it was constructed using the cut-and-cover method and designed by the engineering firm of Heins & LaFarge. The station has undergone several renovations, including a refurbishment in the late 1990s that repaired tiles and upgraded lighting. In 2018, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced it would overhaul the station as part of the 2015–2019 MTA Capital Plan, though major work had not commenced as of 2023.

Nearby points of interest

The station serves the southern part of the Murray Hill district and is within walking distance of several notable locations. These include the New York Life Building headquarters, the Museum of Sex, and the Gramercy Park historic district. The area is also known for its many hospitals and medical institutions, such as Bellevue Hospital and the NYU Langone Medical Center. The eastern edge of the Madison Square neighborhood and the Flatiron District are located nearby, providing access to the MetLife Building and the Madison Square Park.

Subway service

The station is served by the 6 local train at all times and the <6> express train during weekday peak hours, providing northbound service to the Upper East Side and The Bronx, including stations like Grand Central–42nd Street, 59th Street, and Pelham Bay Park. Southbound service travels toward Lower Manhattan, terminating at Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall. The adjacent stations are 33rd Street to the north and 23rd Street to the south. Transfer is available to the IND Sixth Avenue Line at the 23rd Street station and to the BMT Broadway Line at the 28th Street station on Broadway.

In popular culture

The station has appeared in several films and television series set in New York City. It was featured in the 1974 film The Taking of Pelham One Two Three as part of the hijacked train's route. The station's distinctive tiled walls and classic IRT architecture have made it a recognizable backdrop for scenes depicting the New York City Subway, including episodes of the television series Law & Order and Person of Interest. Its location near several hospitals has also led to its use in medical dramas like Chicago Med.

Category:IRT Lexington Avenue Line stations Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 1904 Category:Murray Hill, Manhattan Category:1904 establishments in New York City