The station was built by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) as part of the Dual Contracts with New York City, and opened on July 1, 1918.

[10][12] The new "H" system was implemented on August 1, 1918, joining the two halves of the Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line and sending all West Side trains south from Times Square.

[citation needed] In April 2021, as part of a network accessibility trial, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority installed a braille map along the northbound platform wall.

[17]: 76  As part of its 2025–2029 Capital Program, the MTA has proposed making the station wheelchair-accessible in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

[22] Both platforms have their original mosaic trim line and name tablets of a predominately brown and red color along with yellow and olive green.

Except for at either end of the platforms where it gets narrower, both also have maroon I-beam columns running along them at regular intervals, alternating ones having the standard black station name plate with white lettering.

The northbound platform has the station's full-time turnstile bank and token booth and two staircases going to either eastern corners of 23rd Street and Seventh Avenue.