Union Hall Street (LIRR station)

Union Hall Street
The facade where Union Hall Street LIRR station used to be, today an entrance to York College (CUNY)
Station statistics
Address	Archer Avenue & Union Hall Street Jamaica, Queens
Coordinates	40°42′10″N 73°47′49″W / 40.70278°N 73.79694°W / 40.70278; -73.79694Coordinates: 40°42′10″N 73°47′49″W / 40.70278°N 73.79694°W / 40.70278; -73.79694
Lines	Main Line:   Belmont Park Branch   Hempstead Branch   Oyster Bay Branch   Port Jefferson Branch   Ronkonkoma Branch Montauk Branch:   West Hempstead Branch   Babylon Branch   Long Beach Branch
Other information
Opened	June 24, 1890
Closed	1905(or 1911), 1976
Rebuilt	1913, 1929-1931
Electrified	August 29, 1905
Formerly	New York Avenue
Services
Preceding station   LIRR   Following station Jamaica station Main Line and Montauk Branch (current and former locations) Canal Street station

Union Hall Street was a station on the Long Island Rail Road's Main Line at Union Hall Street at York College in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, United States.

History

A station opened at New York Avenue (now Brewer Boulevard) on June 24, 1890, when the local Atlantic Avenue rapid transit trains were extended from Woodhaven Junction through Jamaica to Rockaway Junction.^[1] The station was closed in 1905, but in response to complaints about the reopening of Jamaica Station on Sutphin Boulevard (primarily because downtown core of Jamaica was centered around Union Hall Street, the site of "Old Jamaica"), the LIRR opened a new one a block away at Union Hall Street in 1913, when the tracks through Jamaica were grade-separated. Union Hall Street station was built near the site of the "Old Jamaica Station," originally at ground level and eventually elevated between 1929 and 1931.

The building of the newer Jamaica Station led to commercial development around Sutphin Boulevard and the new station became the primary LIRR station in Jamaica. Eventually Union Hall Street patronage dropped due to its close proximity (about a half mile) to the Sutphin Blvd. station. Union Hall would close 1976, although in recent years a decorative wall mimicking a station house was placed over the bridge where the former Union Hall Street station used to be.^[1] Twelve years after the station closed, the transportation needs in the vicinity of Union Hall Street were compensated with the Jamaica Center – Parsons/Archer Subway Station two blocks west of the former station, although this was more accurately a replacement for the former 160th Street elevated railroad station, rather than for the ex-Union Hall Street LIRR station.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} LIRR Station History (TrainsAreFun.com)

External links

• Original Union Hall Street Station image (Unofficial LIRR Site)
• Current Union Hall Street Station site (Forgotten NY.com)