The New York Public Service Commission adopted plans for what was known as the Broadway–Lexington Avenue route on December 31, 1907.

[10][11] This station underwent an overhaul in the late 1970s, which included fixing the station's structure and replacing the original wall tiles, old signs, and incandescent lighting with 1970s modern-look wall tile band and tablet mosaics, signs and fluorescent lights.

In 2023, a short barrier was installed at the center of the platforms to reduce the probability of passengers being pushed into the tracks.

The original late 1910s tiling was restored, repairs were made to the staircases, new tiling on the floors, upgrades to the station's lights and public address system, installation of ADA safety treads along the platform edge, new signs, and new trackbeds in both directions.

[15] Other issues included asbestos abatement, the lack of available space underground for the expansion of the mezzanine, and the need to negotiate with another developer to install elevators.

[20] The artwork at the station, Carnegie Hall Montage by Josh Scharf, was commissioned in 1994 as part of the MTA Arts & Design program.

[21][22] The artwork consists of large color portraits of notable people who have performed at Carnegie Hall.

[21][23] The artwork extends onto the station's white, square porcelain wall tiles, which are similar to those in the rest of the system.

Afterward, the local tracks ramp down and curve east under Central Park South, 60th Street and then Queens, while the express tracks continue north under Central Park before they curve east under 63rd Street and then north under Second Avenue.

Prior to then, the express tracks continued as layup spurs north of the station, running for about 400 feet (120 m).

When the BRT / BMT was building the Broadway line as part of the Dual Contracts, the company also wanted to be awarded the Central Park West / Eighth Avenue route, which was on the planning boards at that time.

Some of the actual rails remain and can be seen from passing express/63rd Street Line trains, but are covered by many years of dirt.