When the majority of the line was built in the early 1910s, most of the route went through undeveloped land, and Roosevelt Avenue had not been constructed.

[6] The station opened on October 13, 1925,[7] with shuttle service between 111th Street and the previous terminal at Alburtis Avenue (now 103rd Street–Corona Plaza).

[21][22] As part of the 2015–2019 Capital Program, the MTA announced plans to renovate the 52nd, 61st, 69th, 82nd, 103rd and 111th Streets stations, a project that had been delayed for several years.

[28][29][30] Stations with flyover express tracks such as this were far more common on IRT elevated lines in Manhattan during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Due to the yard tracks, an unusual layout takes place in and east of the station.

[31] This station has full windscreens except at the west end of the eastbound platform, which has a waist-high steel fence instead.

Exit is at the south (geographic west) end, with staircases to all four corners of 111th Street and Roosevelt Avenue.