23rd Street station (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)
23rd Street is a local station on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Park Avenue South and 23rd Street in Gramercy Park and Flatiron District, Manhattan, it is served by trains at all times, <6> trains during weekdays in the peak direction, and trains during late night hours.
History
Construction started on the first IRT line in 1900. The part of the line from City Hall to just south of 42nd Street was part of the original IRT line, opened on October 27, 1904, including a local station at 23rd Street.On April 13, 1948, the platform extensions to accommodate ten-car trains at this station along with those at 28th Street, and 33rd Street were opened for use.
In 1981, the MTA listed the station among the 69 most deteriorated stations in the subway system.
In late 2014, construction began to install ADA-accessible elevators in the station. To make room for the elevator that serves the northbound platform, the northbound staircase on the northeastern corner of Park Avenue South and 23rd Street had to be demolished, and rebuilt/relocated a few feet down the street. The relocated staircase opened in August 2015. The construction was completed in December 2016 making the station fully ADA-compliant.
Station layout
This is a typical local station with four tracks and two side platforms. During station renovations in 1988, the beige tiles were removed and the original white ones restored. It has IND-style signs indicating the way to 22nd and 23rd Streets. An ornate fare control grille on the southbound side is a piece of artwork entitled Long Division by artist Valerie Jaudon, which was installed during the renovation. The station features a back-lit "23 Street/Park Avenue South" sign at the platform level fare control.The station features modern features such as emergency communication systems, vendors on both south and north bound sides, and Wi-Fi, connecting the communications system with the NYPD Emergency direct line. The station does not contain restrooms.
Exits
The station has 2 elevator entrances, one to each platform, as well as 6 staircases to the southbound platform and 5 to the northbound platform.| Exit location | Number of exits | Platform served |
| 320 Park Avenue South | 1 | Southbound |
| NW corner of Park Avenue S and 23rd Street, in the Metropolitan Life Tower | 2 | Southbound |
| SW corner of Park Avenue S and 23rd Street | 2 | Southbound |
| NE corner of Park Avenue S and 23rd Street | 2 | Northbound |
| SE corner of Park Avenue S and 23rd Street | 2 | Northbound |
| NW corner of Park Avenue S and 22nd Street | 1 | Southbound |
| SW corner of Park Avenue S and 22nd Street | 1 | Southbound |
| NE corner of Park Avenue S and 22nd Street | 1 | Northbound |
| SE corner of Park Avenue S and 22nd Street | 1 | Northbound |
Several staircases blocked by plywood barriers suggest that there was a third exit to the southwestern corner of 23rd Street and Park Avenue South from the southbound platform.