Freeman Street station
Early history
### Early history

The first contract for the construction of a subway in New York, Contract 1, was executed on February 21, 1900, between the Board of Rapid Transit Railroad Commissioners and the Rapid Transit Construction Company, organized by [John B. McDonald](/wiki/John_B._McDonald "John B. McDonald") and funded by [August Belmont](/wiki/August_Belmont "August Belmont"), for the construction of the subway and a 50\-year operating lease from the opening of the line. Contract 1 called for the construction of a line from [City Hall](/wiki/City_Hall%2C_Manhattan "City Hall, Manhattan") north to [Kingsbridge](/wiki/Kingsbridge%2C_Bronx "Kingsbridge, Bronx") and a branch under [Lenox Avenue](/wiki/Lenox_Avenue "Lenox Avenue") and to [Bronx Park](/wiki/Bronx_Park "Bronx Park"). The initial segment of the IRT White Plains Road Line opened on November 26, 1904 between [180th Street–Bronx Park](/wiki/180th_Street%E2%80%93Bronx_Park_station "180th Street–Bronx Park station") and [Jackson Avenue](/wiki/Jackson_Avenue_%28IRT_White_Plains_Road_Line%29 "Jackson Avenue (IRT White Plains Road Line)"). Initially, trains on the line were served by elevated trains from the [IRT Second Avenue Line](/wiki/IRT_Second_Avenue_Line "IRT Second Avenue Line") and the [IRT Third Avenue Line](/wiki/IRT_Third_Avenue_Line "IRT Third Avenue Line"). Once the connection to the [IRT Lenox Avenue Line](/wiki/IRT_Lenox_Avenue_Line "IRT Lenox Avenue Line") opened on July 10, 1905, trains from the newly opened IRT subway ran via the line.

To address overcrowding, in 1909, the [New York Public Service Commission](/wiki/New_York_Public_Service_Commission "New York Public Service Commission") proposed lengthening the platforms at stations along the original IRT subway. 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. In addition to $1\.5 million (equivalent to $ million in ) spent on platform lengthening, $500,000 (equivalent to $ million in ) was spent on building additional entrances and exits. It was anticipated that these improvements would increase capacity by 25 percent. The northbound platform at the Freeman Street station was extended  to the front and  to the rear, while the southbound platform was not lengthened. On January 23, 1911, ten\-car express trains began running on the White Plains Road Line.

On December 29, 1914, the PSC approved a resolution approving a plan to construct an additional stairway to the station at the northeast corner of Southern Boulevard and Freeman Street. Work started on August 20, 1915, and was completed on October 29, 1915\.

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\.


Why was it necessary to lengthen station platforms along the original IRT subway?