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| 116th Street–Columbia University (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line) | |
|---|---|
| Name | 116th Street–Columbia University (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line) |
| Bg color | #FF0000 |
| Borough | Manhattan |
| Locale | Morningside Heights |
| Division | IRT |
| Line | IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line |
| Platforms | 2 side platforms |
| Structure | Underground |
| Opened | 1904 |
116th Street–Columbia University (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line) is a New York City Subway station on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line located at 116th Street and Broadway in Morningside Heights, Manhattan. The station serves the 1 local train and sits adjacent to Columbia University, providing access to Morningside Park, Riverside Church, and institutions such as Barnard College and the Church of St. Paul the Apostle. Opened during the original Interborough Rapid Transit expansion, the station has undergone multiple renovations tied to city, state, and federal transportation initiatives.
The station opened in 1904 as part of the original Interborough Rapid Transit Company mainline, contemporaneous with the expansion overseen by August Belmont Jr. and engineering by William Barclay Parsons. Early 20th-century debates involving New York City Board of Rapid Transit Commissioners and municipal authorities shaped alignment decisions near Morningside Heights, affecting access to Columbia University and New York-Presbyterian Hospital. During the Great Depression era, transit finance challenges paralleled operations under the New York City Transit Authority and later the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Mid-century modernization included platform-lengthening projects influenced by federal programs during the Postwar economic expansion and coordination with the Works Progress Administration legacy of civic improvement. The station experienced service adjustments during the 1970s New York City fiscal crisis, and later capital investments under successive MTA Capital Program packages in the 1990s and 2000s. Recent history involves collaborations with Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo administrations for accessibility upgrades.
The station features two side platforms serving two tracks beneath Broadway and adjacent to the Morningside Heights street grid. Entrances and exits connect to street level near 116th Street (Manhattan), with fare control areas historically separated by token booth placements used by the New York City Transit Authority and modernized for MetroCard and OMNY fare payment systems developed by Cubic Transportation Systems. Structural elements reflect original Cut-and-cover construction practices overseen by early 20th-century contractors working with engineers from firms involved in the original IRT construction. Track interlockings to the north and south relate to operations coordinated with signal systems implemented by the New York City Transit Authority signaling bureaus.
The station is served at all times by the 1 local train operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and dispatched from yards including Avenue X Yard and Harlem–148th Street yard for fleet rotations. Service patterns have been influenced by citywide events such as Columbus Day Parade variances and MTA emergency plans during incidents affecting the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line, including repairs related to Hurricane Sandy impacts on regional infrastructure. Ridership flows are managed through time-based scheduling derived from data analytics performed by MTA planners and coordination with New York City Police Department transit units for crowd control during university events and commencement ceremonies at Low Memorial Library.
Original finishes include tilework and ceramic mosaics characteristic of early IRT stations, influenced by artisans associated with projects overseen by firms that worked with architects following the aesthetics of the City Beautiful movement. Station name tablets, faience trims, and terracotta motifs correspond to design language used in contemporaneous stations like those designed by Heins & LaFarge. Lighting and signage have been updated to comply with guidelines from the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and standards advanced by the National Endowment for the Arts in public art programs, while retaining historic elements recognized by preservation advocates and local groups tied to Landmarks Preservation Commission discussions.
Accessibility upgrades have been part of multiple MTA Capital Programs, with elevator installations and tactile warning strips implemented in coordination with United States Department of Transportation grants and state funding. Renovation phases included masonry repair, waterproofing, and replacement of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems contracted through firms working under New York State Department of Transportation procurement rules. Community organizations, including representatives from Columbia University and neighborhood associations, participated in public hearings administered by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority concerning construction impacts and mitigation strategies.
The station serves students, faculty, staff, and visitors to Columbia University, Barnard College, and medical centers such as NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. Annual ridership statistics reflect trends tied to enrollment cycles at Columbia College (New York) and events at venues like The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine and Lincoln Center-area programming that influence cross-borough travel. Culturally, the station appears in oral histories and urban studies scholarship addressing transit access to institutions including Teachers College, Columbia University, and has been part of neighborhood narratives alongside figures like John D. Rockefeller Jr. and Frederick Law Olmsted through planning histories of Morningside Park and adjacent developments.
Major nearby institutions and landmarks include Columbia University, Barnard College, Morningside Park, Riverside Church, St. Luke's Hospital (Manhattan), Alma Mater (statue), Low Memorial Library, Butler Library, Hamilton Hall (Columbia University), The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, Grant's Tomb, Graybar Building-area references, and cultural venues tied to the Harlem and Upper West Side corridors. Transit connections via surface routes link to services operated by the MTA Regional Bus Operations and regional rail access through Grand Central Terminal and Pennsylvania Station corridors for intermodal travelers.
Category:IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line stations Category:New York City Subway stations in Manhattan Category:Railway stations opened in 1904