The Eighth Avenue Line station was built for the Independent Subway System (IND) and opened on September 10, 1932, as part of the IND's first segment. The station was renovated in 2018.
In October 1928, the BOT awarded a $444,000 (equivalent to $7,878,419 in 2023) contract to Charles Mead & Co. for the completion of the 50th Street, 59th Street, and 72nd Street stations on the Eighth Avenue Line.[9] The finishes at the three stations were 20 percent completed by May 1930.[10] By that August, the BOT reported that the Eighth Avenue Line was nearly completed and that the three stations from 50th to 72nd Street were 99.9 percent completed.[11] The entire line was completed by September 1931, except for the installation of turnstiles.[12]
A preview event for the new subway was hosted on September 8, 1932, two days before the official opening.[13][14] The 72nd Street station opened on September 10, 1932, as part of the city-operated IND's initial segment, the Eighth Avenue Line between Chambers Street and 207th Street.[15][16] Construction of the whole line cost $191.2 million (equivalent to $4,269.8 million in 2023). While the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line already provided parallel service, the new Eighth Avenue subway via Central Park West provided an alternative route.[17]
Under the 2015–2019 Metropolitan Transportation Authority Capital Plan, the station underwent a complete overhaul as part of the Enhanced Station Initiative and was entirely closed for several months. Updates included cellular service, Wi-Fi, USB charging stations, interactive service advisories and maps.[18][19] A request for proposals for the 72nd Street, 86th Street, Cathedral Parkway–110th Street, and 163rd Street–Amsterdam Avenue stations was issued on June 1, 2017,[20] and the New York City Transit and Bus Committee officially recommended that the MTA Board award the $111 million (equivalent to $137,973,934 in 2023) contract to ECCO III Enterprises in October 2017.[21] As part of the renovations, the station was closed from May 7, 2018,[22] to October 4, 2018.[23]
This underground station has two levels, each of which has from west to east, one side platform, one local track and one express track. Northbound trains stop on the upper level while southbound trains stop on the lower level.[24]
Both platforms lack a trim line, but have mosaic name tablets reading "72ND ST." in white sans-serif lettering on a midnight blue background and black border, as well as small "72" tile captions in white numbering on a black background at regular intervals.[25] Directional signs in white lettering on a black background are below the name tablets.[26] Mosaic signs in white lettering on a blue background on the upper level direct passengers to the staircases going down to the lower level.[27] Grey (previously blue) I-beam columns run along the platforms at regular intervals, alternating ones having the standard black station name plate with white lettering.
72nd Street is the closest station to both the Dakota apartment building (which is immediately outside the station) and the Strawberry Fields memorial in Central Park.[28][29] The 2018 artwork at this station is "Sky" by the multimedia artist Yoko Ono, who lived in the Dakota. The ceramic artwork consists of clouds against a blue backdrop. "Sky" commemorates Ono's husband John Lennon, who was killed in 1980 outside the Dakota.[30][28]
Exits
Entrance at 72nd Street following the renovations
Closed 71st Street entrance
Both fare control areas are on the upper-level platform and two staircases, one adjacent to each area, go down to the lower level. The full-time one at 72nd Street is at the north end of the platform.[29] A staircase of four steps go down to a bank of three turnstiles that lead to a token booth. The other fare control area at 70th Street, at the station's south end, remains unstaffed after renovations, but now contains standard turnstiles instead of High Entry/Exit Turnstiles.
Two staircases connect the two platforms, one at each fare control area, and one more used to connect the platforms in the center of the station. There are staircases to both western corners of West 72nd Street and Central Park West. The northwest staircase, outside the Dakota apartment building, is made of stone and is embedded within the Dakota's recessed areaway.[31] In addition, there is an entrance to the southwestern corner of West 70th Street and Central Park West.[29] This entrance had previously been closed,[32] but reopened in September 2002.[33][34]
Blue plywood walls and new tiling with a door[35] on the upper level indicate there was a third exit that led to West 71st Street.[36][37] Prior to the renovation of the station, further evidence of this exit's existence included directional signs with "71" that were covered or replaced with newer tiling and a fenced off staircase on the lower level.[38][39] During the renovation of the station, the exit and its accompanying staircase between the two platform levels was temporarily uncovered and used as an area to haul out construction debris; the street staircase has since been re-sealed and the staircase between the two platform levels was closed again.
^O'Brien, John C. (September 9, 1931). "8th Ave. Line Being Rushed For Use Jan. 1: Turnstile Installation on Subway Begins Monday; Other Equipment Ready for Start of Train Service City Has Yet to Find Operating Company Transit Official on Trip, 207th to Canal Street, Inspects Finished Tube". New York Herald Tribune. p. 1. ISSN1941-0646. ProQuest1331181357.
^"8th Av. Subway Gets First 5c. by Woman's Error: She Peers Into a Station, Hears Train, Pays for Ride, but Is Day Too Early Preparing for Tomorrow's Rush on 8th Ave. Subway". New York Herald Tribune. September 9, 1932. p. 1. ProQuest1125436641.
^Sebring, Lewis B. (September 10, 1932). "Midnight Jam Opens City's New Subway: Turnstiles Click Into Action at 12:01 A. M. as Throngs Battle for Places in 'First' Trains Boy, 7, Leads Rush At 42d St. Station City at Last Hails 8th Ave. Line After 7-Year Wait; Cars Bigger, Clean Transit Commissioner Officially Opening New Subway at Midnight". New York Herald Tribune. p. 1. ISSN1941-0646. ProQuest1114839882.
^Alpern, Andrew (2015). The Dakota: A History of the World's Best-Known Apartment Building. Princeton Architectural Press. p. 163. ISBN978-1-61689-437-5. OCLC915135755.
Note: Service variations, station closures, and reroutes are not reflected here. Stations with asterisks have no regular peak, reverse peak, or midday service on that route. See linked articles for more information.
Stations and line segments in italics are closed, demolished, or planned (temporary closures are marked with asterisks). Track connections to other lines' terminals are displayed in brackets. Struck through passenger track connections are closed or unused in regular service.
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