The original station at this location was opened around 1900 as a two-track street-level side platform station running south from a grade crossing at Avenue C. The station was established to serve the commercial area of Avenue C, a major thoroughfare which boasted the only east-west streetcar line between Church Avenue in Flatbush and Sheepshead Bay. The current station house and below-grade platforms were completed at the end of 1907. At the same time, the station was renamed from Avenue C to Cortelyou Road.