Spring Street station (IRT Lexington Avenue Line) explained

Spring Street
Address:Spring Street & Lafayette Street
New York, NY
Borough:Manhattan
Locale:Little Italy, SoHo
Coordinates:40.7222°N -73.9972°W
Division:IRT
Line:IRT Lexington Avenue Line
Service:Lexington local
Service Header:Lexington local header
Platforms:2 side platforms
Tracks:4
Structure:Underground
Open Date:[1]

The Spring Street station is a local station on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Lafayette Street and Spring Street in SoHo and Little Italy, Manhattan, it is served by trains at all times, <6> trains during weekdays in the peak direction, and trains during late night hours.

The Spring Street station was constructed for the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) as part of the city's first subway line, which was approved in 1900. Construction of the line segment that includes the Spring Street station started on September 12 of the same year. The station opened on October 27, 1904, as one of the original 28 stations of the New York City Subway. The station's platforms were lengthened in the late 1950s.

The Spring Street station contains two side platforms and four tracks; express trains use the inner two tracks to bypass the station. The station was built with tile and mosaic decorations, which are continued along the platform extensions. The station contains exits to Spring Street at the center of each platform. The platforms are not connected to each other within fare control.

History

Construction and opening

Planning for a subway line in New York City dates to 1864. However, development of what would become the city's first subway line did not start until 1894, when the New York State Legislature authorized the Rapid Transit Act.[2] The subway plans were drawn up by a team of engineers led by William Barclay Parsons, the Rapid Transit Commission's chief engineer. It called for a subway line from New York City Hall in lower Manhattan to the Upper West Side, where two branches would lead north into the Bronx.[3] A plan was formally adopted in 1897, and legal challenges were resolved near the end of 1899. The Rapid Transit Construction Company, organized by John B. McDonald and funded by August Belmont Jr., signed Contract 1 with the Rapid Transit Commission in February 1900,[4] in which it would construct the subway and maintain a 50-year operating lease from the opening of the line. In 1901, the firm of Heins & LaFarge was hired to design the underground stations. Belmont incorporated the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) in April 1902 to operate the subway.

The Spring Street station was constructed as part of the IRT's original line, particularly the section from Chambers Street to Great Jones Street. Construction on this section of the line began on July 10, 1900, and was awarded to Degnon-McLean Contracting Company. Two days after construction began, the contract was modified to widen the subway at Spring Street to allow for the construction of 600feet of a fifth track.[5] By early 1902, the adjacent tunnel had been completed, and the buildings on either side of Lafayette Street (then known as Elm Street) were being underpinned in anticipation of the construction of the subway station itself.[6] The stretch of Elm Street north of Spring Street was being repaved by that September, after the tunnel was completed.[7] The Rapid Transit Commission had yet to pay McDonald for his work by January 1903, in part because sewage lines on the west side of Elm Street had not been completed.[8]

By late 1903, the subway was nearly complete, but the IRT Powerhouse and the system's electrical substations were still under construction, delaying the system's opening.[9] The Spring Street station opened on October 27, 1904, as one of the original 28 stations of the New York City Subway from City Hall to 145th Street on the Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line.[10]

Service changes and station renovations

1900s to 1930s

After the initial system was completed in 1908,[11] the station was served by local trains along both the West Side (now the Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line to Van Cortlandt Park–242nd Street) and East Side (now the Lenox Avenue Line). West Side local trains had their southern terminus at City Hall during rush hours and South Ferry at other times, and had their northern terminus at 242nd Street. East Side local trains ran from City Hall to Lenox Avenue (145th Street).[12]

In 1909, to address overcrowding, the New York Public Service Commission proposed lengthening the platforms at stations along the original IRT subway.[13] As part of a modification to the IRT's construction contracts made on January 18, 1910, the company was to lengthen station platforms to accommodate ten-car express and six-car local trains. In addition to $1.5 million (equivalent to $ million in) spent on platform lengthening, $500,000 (equivalent to $ million in) was spent on building additional entrances and exits. It was anticipated that these improvements would increase capacity by 25 percent.[14] Platforms at local stations, such as the Spring Street station, were lengthened by between 20and. The northbound platform was extended to the south.[14] Six-car local trains began operating in October 1910. The Lexington Avenue Line opened north of Grand Central–42nd Street in 1918, and the original line was divided into an H-shaped system. All local trains were sent via the Lexington Avenue Line, running along the Pelham Line in the Bronx.[15]

In December 1922, the Transit Commission approved a $3 million project to lengthen platforms at 14 local stations along the original IRT line, including Spring Street and seven other stations on the Lexington Avenue Line. Platform lengths at these stations would be increased from 225to.[16] [17] The commission postponed the platform-lengthening project in September 1923, at which point the cost had risen to $5.6 million.[18] [19] The commission again considered lengthening the IRT platforms at Spring Street in December 1927.[20] [21] At the end of the month, the Transit Commission requested that the IRT create plans to lengthen the platforms at Bleecker Street and three other Lexington Avenue Line stations to .[22] The New York City Board of Transportation drew up plans for the project, but the federal government placed an injunction against the commission's platform-lengthening decree, which remained in place for over a year.[23] The commission approved the plans in mid-1929; the Spring Street station's southbound platform was to be extended to the south, while the northbound platform was to be extended south.[24] The IRT refused, claiming that the city government was responsible for the work, and obtained a federal injunction to prevent the commission from forcing the IRT to lengthen the platforms.[25] In late 1930, the commission requested that the New York Supreme Court force the IRT to lengthen platforms at the Canal Street and Spring Street stations.[26]

1940s to present

The city government took over the IRT's operations on June 12, 1940.[27] [28] In late 1959, contracts were awarded to extend the platforms at,,,, Spring Street,,,,, and to 525feet.[29] In April 1960, work began on a $3,509,000 project (equivalent to $ million in) to lengthen platforms at seven of these stations to accommodate ten-car trains. The northbound platforms at Canal Street, Spring Street, Bleecker Street, and Astor Place were lengthened from 225to; the platform extensions at these stations opened on February 19, 1962.[30]

The station was renovated in the late 1980s. After a mosaic panel fell off the wall during 1988, the renovation was temporarily halted.[31]

Station layout

Like other local stations, Spring Street has four tracks and two side platforms. The 6 stops here at all times, rush-hour and midday <6> trains stop here in the peak direction; and the 4 stops here during late nights. The two express tracks are used by the 4 and 5 trains during daytime hours. The station is between to the north and to the south. The platforms were originally long, like at other local stations on the original IRT,[3] but as a result of the 1959 platform extensions, became long.[29] The platform extensions are at the front ends of the original platforms: the southbound platform was extended southward and the northbound platform was extended northward. This resulted in the two platforms being offset from each other. Both platforms are slightly curved.

Spring Street had a fifth center track at the time of its opening.[32] [33] The track was intended as a storage siding and was 600feet long.[5] This track did not last long; it was reportedly disconnected and removed in 1906, only two years after the subway opened. The trackway is now used as the location of a mechanical room.[33]

Design

As with other stations built as part of the original IRT, the tunnel is covered by a U-shaped trough that contains utility pipes and wires. The bottom of this trough contains a foundation of concrete no less than 4inches thick. Each platform consists of 3inches concrete slabs, beneath which are drainage basins. The original platforms contain circular, cast-iron Doric-style columns spaced every 15feet, while the platform extensions contain I-beam columns. Additional columns between the tracks, spaced every, support the jack-arched concrete station roofs.[34] There is a 1abbr=NaNabbr= gap between the trough wall and the platform walls, which are made of 4abbr=NaNabbr=-thick brick covered over by a tiled finish.[34]

The original decorative scheme consists of blue tile station-name tablets, light blue tile bands, a white terracotta cornice, and light blue terracotta plaques.[34] The mosaic tiles at all original IRT stations were manufactured by the American Encaustic Tile Company, which subcontracted the installations at each station.[34] The decorative work was performed by tile contractor Manhattan Glass Tile Company and terracotta contractor Atlantic Terra Cotta Company.[34] The ceilings of the original platforms and fare control areas contain plaster molding.[34] The station has small "S" cartouches with two poppies from 1904, made by Atlantic Terra Cotta, and large mosaic tablets by Heins & LaFarge, also from 1904. Other small "S" and "Spring St" mosaics are newer.[33]

Where the platforms have been extended, the walls have green tiles and a darker green trim line with "SPRING ST" written on it in black sans serif font at regular intervals.

Exits

Spring Street has four entrances, two to each platform. The northbound entrances are at either eastern corner of Lafayette and Spring Streets, while the southbound entrances are at either western corner of the same intersection.[35] The entrance to the southwestern corner is located within the building line at 225 Lafayette Street, a 12-story building built in 1925 for the East River Savings Bank.[36]

In popular culture

This station is featured in the 2008 film Cloverfield. The scene was not filmed there, however.[37] The station is featured in the season 3 episode, "Lo-Fi", in the television show Criminal Minds.

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Our Subway Open: 150,000 Try It; Mayor McClellan Runs the First Official Train.. October 28, 1904. The New York Times. April 21, 2020. en-US. 0362-4331. 1. December 13, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211213201856/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1904/10/28/118948832.html. live.
  2. Book: Walker. James Blaine. Fifty Years of Rapid Transit — 1864 to 1917. 1918. Law Printing. New York, N.Y.. November 6, 2016.
  3. Web site: October 23, 1979. Interborough Rapid Transit System, Underground Interior. November 19, 2019. New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. September 21, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200921135400/https://s-media.nyc.gov/agencies/lpc/lp/1096.pdf. live.
  4. Book: Report of the Board of Rapid Transit Railroad Commissioners for the City of New York For The Year Ending December 31, 1904 Accompanied By Reports of the Chief Engineer and of the Auditor. Board of Rapid Transit Railroad Commissioners. 1905. 229–236.
  5. Book: Report of the Board of Rapid Transit Railroad Commissioners For And In The City of New York Up to December 31, 1901. 1902. Board of Rapid Transit Railroad Commissioners. en. December 25, 2020. May 2, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220502022956/https://books.google.com/books?id=PLonAAAAYAAJ&q=Third+Track+North+of+Fort+George&pg=PA242. live.
  6. News: 1902-02-02 . The Subway's Main Line; Only Eighteen Blocks Below 104th Street Remain Unopened. Two of the Sections Are to be Finished in a Year and the Others Will Not Be Far Behindhand. . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-05-25 . 0362-4331.
  7. News: 1902-09-12 . Actual Work Commences on the Brooklyn Tunnel . 13 . The Brooklyn Daily Eagle . 2023-05-25.
  8. News: 9 Jan 1903 . Shakes Hand at Grout: M'donald Angry Over Non-payment of Subway Claims One-hundred-and-fourth-st-station . 3 . New-York Tribune . 1941-0646 . .
  9. News: November 14, 1903 . First of Subway Tests; West Side Experimental Trains to be Run by Jan. 1 Broadway Tunnel Tracks Laid, Except on Three Little Sections, to 104th Street -- Power House Delays. . en-US . The New York Times . May 10, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  10. News: October 27, 1904. Subway Opening To-day With Simple Ceremony – Exercises at One O'Clock – Public to be Admitted at Seven – John Hay May Be Present – Expected to Represent the Federal Government – President Roosevelt Sends Letter of Regret. The New York Times. May 28, 2017. 0362-4331. August 30, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210830224050/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1904/10/27/101400669.pdf. live.
  11. News: Our First Subway Completed At Last — Opening of the Van Cortlandt Extension Finishes System Begun in 1900 — The Job Cost $60,000,000 — A Twenty-Mile Ride from Brooklyn to 242d Street for a Nickel Is Possible Now. August 2, 1908. The New York Times. November 6, 2016. 10. December 23, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211223112020/https://www.nytimes.com/1908/08/02/archives/our-first-subway-completed-at-last-opening-of-the-van-cortlandt.html. live.
  12. Book: Brooklyn Daily Eagle Almanac. Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 1916. 119. Herries. William. December 25, 2020. May 11, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210511155639/https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433081730503;view=1up;seq=151. live.
  13. Web site: Hood. Clifton. 1978. The Impact of the IRT in New York City. December 20, 2020. Historic American Engineering Record. 146–207 (PDF pp. 147–208). . . January 17, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210117001227/https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/master/pnp/habshaer/ny/ny0300/ny0387/data/ny0387data.pdf. live.
  14. Book: Report of the Public Service Commission for the First District of the State of New York For The Year Ending December 31, 1910. 1911. Public Service Commission. en. January 7, 2021. January 20, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210120015525/https://books.google.com/books?id=0fBLAQAAMAAJ&q=%20zoological%20station&pg=PA596. live.
  15. News: August 2, 1918. Open New Subway Lines to Traffic; Called a Triumph — Great H System Put in Operation Marks an Era in Railroad Construction — No Hitch in the Plans — But Public Gropes Blindly to Find the Way in Maze of New Stations — Thousands Go Astray — Leaders in City's Life Hail Accomplishment of Great Task at Meeting at the Astor. 1. The New York Times. November 6, 2016. February 21, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210221065215/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/08/02/97011929.pdf. live.
  16. News: December 17, 1922 . 33d Street to Be I.R.T. Express Stop; Reconstruction One of Many Station Improvements Ordered by Commission. . en-US . The New York Times . June 21, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  17. News: December 18, 1922 . $4,000,000 in Construction on I. R. T. Ordered: 33d St. on East Side Subway Will Be Express Stop; Local Stations to Have 10-Car Train Capacity Aim to Speed Service Improvements Will Relieve Congestion Along Both Routes. Board Believes . 22 . New-York Tribune . .
  18. News: September 7, 1923. Express Stop Plan Opposed by I.R.T.; Officials Say Money Is Not Available for Change at 33d Street Station.. en-US. The New York Times. June 21, 2022. 0362-4331.
  19. News: . I. R. T. Wins Delay At Subway Platform Extension Hearing: Transit Commission Head Tells Meeting Widening West Side Stations Would Increase Capacity 25 P. C . September 7, 1923 . 6 . New-York Tribune.
  20. News: December 5, 1927 . Ready With Plans on I.R.T. Platforms; Transportation Board to Lay All Details on Lengthening Before Commission Friday . en-US . The New York Times . May 20, 2023 . 0362-4331.
  21. News: December 6, 1927 . I. R. T. Platform Extension Plan Is Completed: City Board of Transportation to Submit Contract Forms to Transit Commission; Lengthen All Local Trains May Abandon 2 Stations Worth and 18th Sts. Show Falling Patronage; B.M.T. Has Finished Similar Work . 17 . New York Herald Tribune . 1941-0646 . .
  22. News: January 1, 1928 . Order I.R.T. To Build Ten-car Platforms; Transit Commissioners Direct Company to Begin Work at Four Local Stations . en-US . The New York Times . May 20, 2023 . 0362-4331.
  23. News: 1929-07-11. Hedley and Menden Defend 'Keying by'; Tell Board That Enforcement of Its Order Would Cause Serious Rush-Hour Delay. en-US. The New York Times. 2023-05-26. 0362-4331.
  24. News: July 7, 1929 . Moves to Compel I.R.T. Improvements; Transit Board Gives Order to Road to Lengthen Two Station Platforms . en-US . The New York Times . May 20, 2023 . 0362-4331.
  25. News: September 21, 1929 . Plans to Order I.R.T. To Get 239 New Cars; Transit Board to Demand That Equipment Be Ready in 15 Months . en-US . The New York Times . live . May 20, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180331153505/https://www.nytimes.com/1929/09/21/archives/plans-to-order-irt-to-get-239-new-cars-transit-board-to-demand-that.html . March 31, 2018 . 0362-4331.
  26. News: September 5, 1930 . Asks Writ to Make I.R.T. Buy New Cars; Transit Board Also Aims to Force Company to Abide by Its Platform-Extension Ruling . en-US . The New York Times . May 20, 2023 . 0362-4331.
  27. News: June 13, 1940 . City Transit Unity Is Now a Reality; Title to I.R.T. Lines Passes to Municipality, Ending 19-Year Campaign . en-US . The New York Times . May 14, 2022 . 0362-4331 . January 7, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220107193115/https://www.nytimes.com/1940/06/13/archives/city-transit-unity-is-now-a-reality-title-to-irt-lines-passes-to.html . live .
  28. News: June 13, 1940 . Transit Unification Completed As City Takes Over I. R. T. Lines: Systems Come Under Single Control After Efforts Begun in 1921; Mayor Is Jubilant at City Hall Ceremony Recalling 1904 Celebration . 25 . New York Herald Tribune . .
  29. Book: Annual Report For The Year Ending June 30, 1959. New York City Transit Authority. 1959. 9. December 29, 2020. May 11, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210511153724/https://s3.amazonaws.com/nycsubway.org/images/pdf/nyct_annual_report_1959.pdf. live.
  30. News: February 18, 1962. 4 IRT Stops To Open Longer Platforms. en-US. The New York Times. live. January 4, 2021. 0362-4331. January 8, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210108213132/https://www.nytimes.com/1962/02/18/archives/4-irt-stops-to-open-longer-platforms.html.
  31. News: Gordy . Molly . August 23, 1988 . Subway Station Restoration Is Year Late, Double Budget . 3 . Newsday . 2574-5298 . .
  32. Web site: Postcard: "Five track subway construction, Spring and Elm Streets, New York". www.nycsubway.org. October 25, 2018. October 26, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181026064449/https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?32439. live.
  33. http://nycsubway.org/perl/stations?5:3097 Spring Street (IRT East Side Line)
  34. Web site: Framberger. David J.. 1978. Architectural Designs for New York's First Subway. December 20, 2020. Historic American Engineering Record. 1–46 (PDF pp. 367–412). . . January 17, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210117001227/https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/master/pnp/habshaer/ny/ny0300/ny0387/data/ny0387data.pdf. live.
  35. Web site: MTA Neighborhood Maps: Spring St (6). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. December 25, 2020. April 2018. August 29, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210829193958/https://new.mta.info/document/2691. live.
  36. News: 1956-12-31 . Office Structure is Sold by Bank; East River Takes a Lease in Lafayette St. Building-- Other Deals Are Listed . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-05-25 . 0362-4331.
  37. Web site: Cloverfield (2008) . . June 29, 2018 . June 27, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180627064204/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1060277/faq#.2.1.49 . live .