Contract 1 called for the construction of a line from City Hall north to Kingsbridge and a branch under Lenox Avenue and to Bronx Park.

[3] The initial segment of the IRT White Plains Road Line opened on November 26, 1904 between 180th Street–Bronx Park and Jackson Avenue.

[4][5][6] To address overcrowding, in 1909, the New York Public Service Commission proposed lengthening the platforms at stations along the original IRT subway.

[7]: 168  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.

[10][11] The New York City Board of Estimate approved a contract to construct a signal tower at the station's northern end on October 18, 1928.

[13][14] The New York State Transit Commission announced plans to extend the southbound platforms at seven stations on the line from Jackson Avenue to 177th Street to accommodate ten-car trains for $81,900 on August 8, 1934.

[15] Up until 1946, a limited number of rush-hour northbound trains on the Second and Third Avenue Lines terminated at this station, relaying north of it to turn around for southbound service.