28th Street Subway Station (IRT)
Why it's listed
Beneath Park Avenue South in Lower Midtown Manhattan, this four-track local subway station opened on October 27, 1904, as part of the original Interborough Rapid Transit line. Engineer William Barclay Parsons handled the structure, built by the cut-and-cover method with steel columns and concrete infill, while architects George L. Heins and Christopher Grant LaFarge designed its decoration under City Beautiful ideals. The original 200-foot section keeps white glass tile walls, a terra cotta egg-and-dart cornice, marble belt courses, Roman brick wainscoting, brass vents and large faience plaques reading "28 Twenty-Eighth Street," made by the Grueby Faience Company. Platforms were lengthened in 1904 and again in 1948 with simpler, compatible tilework. A late-1920s passageway connects to the nearby New York Life Insurance Building, whose location was likely influenced by the station. The station is valued for its engineering, craftsmanship, materials and its role in the city's early rapid transit network.
Significance in brief: The station is significant under Criterion A for transportation, community planning and development, and social history, and under Criterion C for engineering, architecture and art. It is an early example of the original IRT system, with engineering by William Barclay Parsons and decorative design by Heins & LaFarge. It retains much original faience, terra cotta and tile work and a high degree of integrity.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 05000230, listed March 30, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Under Park Avenue S, bet E 29th and 27th Sts., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | March 30, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05000230 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1904-1948 |
| Architect / builder | Parsons, William Barclay (engineer); Heins, George L. and LaFarge, Christopher G. (architects) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th & 20th Century Revivals/Beaux-Arts |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture, Art, Engineering, Community Planning and Development, Social History |
| Level of significance | National, State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Remains in use as a local-stop station on the 6 train; platforms were extended in 1904 and 1948, and control areas and stairways were renovated in 1989. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.74335, -73.98407 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 05000230.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q939753
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.