Original plan

Grant Avenue was built as part of the extension of the IND Fulton Street Line east of Broadway–East New York.^[5] Funding for the station was allocated in the New York City Board of Transportation's 1939 Capital Budget, projected to be completed by 1942.^[6] In October 1940, construction began on the portion of the extension along Pitkin Avenue between Crystal Street and Grant Avenue. This included a station at Euclid Avenue and the Pitkin Yard, but did not include a station at Grant Avenue.^[7][8] By this time, the Board acquired private property on the east side of Grant Avenue for subway construction.^[9] By 1941, the intersection of Pitkin and Grant Avenues was excavated for subway construction.^[10] The opening of the East New York station, and completion of all stations east to Euclid Avenue that were then-under construction,^[7][11] was halted in 1942 due to supply shortages from World War II.^[7][12][13]

The extension of the line to Euclid Avenue opened in November 1948, six years late.^[14][15] As part of the extension, the Fulton Line tunnel under Pitkin Avenue was built up to Eldert Lane just past Grant Avenue to facilitate a future subway extension via Pitkin Avenue.^{[16]: 143 [17][18][19]}

Modified plans

By 1947, the plans were modified so the IND line would instead use the nearby BMT Fulton Street Elevated along Liberty Avenue.^[20][21] Additional trackways were installed in the tunnel just east of Euclid Avenue for a potential connection to the Fulton Street El.^[22][23] The yet-to-be-built Grant Avenue station was also displayed on the signal board in the Euclid Avenue station.^[22][24] In 1949, the Board of Transportation approved a plan to extend the IND Fulton Line along the eastern Fulton El to Lefferts Boulevard. The station was expected to be completed in 1952.^[25] Under the original plans, the Grant Avenue station of the BMT elevated would have been preserved as the first station east of the link.^{[16]: 143 [26][27][28]} In 1950, the New York City Planning Commission approved funding for an extension of the IND Fulton Line east from Euclid Avenue to Grant Avenue.^[29][30]

In late 1952, the Board of Transportation began construction on a connection between the IND and both the Fulton Elevated and the Rockaway Beach Branch of the Long Island Rail Road, which included a new underground Grant Avenue station.^{[31][32][33][34]} The station opened on April 29, 1956, along with the connection to the Fulton Elevated east to Lefferts Boulevard. One month later, service to the Rockaways commenced via the old Rockaway Beach Branch, which had been converted to the IND Rockaway Line.^{[3][7][35][36][37]} The station also replaced the former Grant Avenue station on the Fulton Elevated, which was closed and demolished.^[3]

Exit

The station's only entrance is a 1950s-style brick station-house at street level, located on the east side of Grant Avenue north of Pitkin Avenue.^[4] Inside, there is a token booth, turnstile bank, fluorescent lights, newsstand, and three staircases to the platform.^[3][41] The entrance is located next to a NYCDOT park and ride facility, signed as "Municipal Parking: Grant Avenue," that encompasses both sides of Grant Avenue.^[42] Additional parking was formerly present on then-NYCT property across North Conduit Avenue, which has since been developed.^[43]