The Payphone Project > Pictures of Payphones

Payphone Gone.
This payphone, formerly at (718) 728-9682, stood at this location for decades. Today all that is left is this hole in the sidewalk, and two metal poles.

Payphone Gone. December, 2011.
This photo is cropped to match as closely as possible the frame of the previous photo.

Bel Aire Diner Payphone. November, 2009

September, 2008
I first noticed this abandoned payphone on Northern Boulevard in September, 2008, when this picture was taken. The next picture shows that in December, 2011, this empty hull of a payphone still lurked outside an abandoned building that once housed a check cashing business. Look for these abandoned payphone pictures at Weburbanist.com.

The Neon Lights Stay on 24 Hours a Day at the Abandoned Building

The Neon Lights Stay on 24 Hours a Day at the Abandoned Building

CHEC? The Neon Lights Stay on 24 Hours a Day at the Abandoned Building

The Neon Lights Stay on 24 Hours a Day at the Abandoned Building

The Neon Lights Stay on 24 Hours a Day at the Abandoned Building

EDT Sportline Once Occupied This Space

Phone Number of the Previous Company That Occupied This Space

For Rent

I Wanna Rent This Place. Wait... What's the Phone Number?

Payphone Gone?
Across the street I spotted this metal post in the sidewalk. Posts and spikes like this often provide evidence that a payphone used to be present. Once you start looking for these stumps it becomes evident that payphones genuinely used to be everywhere, even in vacant lots and alleyways between buildings.

Open 24 Hours

Open 24 Hours

The gashes in this awning reveal the name of another business that once occupied this space.

Voice Stream Omnipoint

Open 24 hours? Not likely.

The awning bears only empty letters where the words "CHECK CASHING" used to be.

Landlord has legal possession of these premises.

Mop

The M&Ms in this vending machine have nearly disintegrated into dirt.

Graffiti Wall on the Abandoned Yellow Building

Graffiti Wall on the Abandoned Yellow Building

Graffiti Wall on the Abandoned Yellow Building

Graffiti Wall on the Abandoned Yellow Building

Graffiti Wall on the Abandoned Yellow Building

Open 24 Hours?
The neon sign is lit, 24 hours a day, but the building is abandoned.

The Abandoned Yellow Payphone at the Abandoned Yellow Building. December, 2011.

The Silent Scream of the Disemboweled Payphone
Sometimes, when I look payphones that have been abandoned or disemboweled, I see a mouth, and eyes, and a tear-drop on the face's right cheek. as if something perpetually screams in dismay at the removal of the public telephone which once hid its face.

The Abandoned Yellow Payphone at the Abandoned Yellow Building, Then and Now.
In September, 2008, I took a photo of this abandoned payphone. In December 2011 I put a copy of that photo inside the defunct payphone's empty hull. When I returned a few days later the photo was gone. It probably blew away, but I like to imagine that someone found the photo and saved it as a souvenir.

December, 2011.
This abandoned payphone looks pretty much the same in this photo as it did in 2008 (see previous photo). Still abandoned, still standing in idle uselessness. The wall behind it is now marred by considerably more graffiti. The word "M9O" that used to be the only graffiti on this wall is still present.

NYC, 57th St. N/Q/R Subway Station. (212) 245-9728. December 10, 2011

Subway Payphone
Subway Payphone

This free-standing, outdoor phone booth at 101st Street and West End Avenue is among the last of its kind in the city.
This free-standing, outdoor phone booth at 101st Street and West End Avenue is among the last of its kind in the city.

The phone booth at 101st Street and West End Avenue is also in pretty good condition, though somewhat obscured by scaffolding.
The phone booth at 101st Street and West End Avenue is also in pretty good condition, though somewhat obscured by scaffolding.

This booth is in good shape, though marred by graffiti.
This booth is in good shape, though marred by graffiti.

(212) 678-9506 is the phone number for the payphone inside one of the last outdoor, free-standing phone booths in New York City.
(212) 678-9506 is the phone number for the payphone inside one of the last outdoor, free-standing phone booths in New York City.

The phone booth at 101st Street and West End Avenue is also in pretty good condition, though somewhat obscured by scaffolding.
The phone booth at 101st Street and West End Avenue is also in pretty good condition, though somewhat obscured by scaffolding.

Phone Booth at 825 West End Avenue, at 100th Street.
The overhead light still works inside this Phone Booth at 825 West End Avenue, at 100th Street.

(212) 678-9862. Inside the phone booth at 825 West End Avenue, at 100th Street.
(212) 678-9862. Inside the phone booth at 825 West End Avenue, at 100th Street.

Phone Booth at 825 West End Avenue, at 100th Street.
Located at 825 West End Avenue, at the corner of 100th Street, this Verizon phone booth seems to be in the best condition among the other remaining Manhattan phone booths. The door opens and closes, and the overhead light inside works.

Payphones are fading fast, thanks mostly to the rise of the cell phone.
It seemed symbolic to me that a woman talking her cell phone passed by right as I snapped this picture of a rare Manhattan phone booth. Payphones are fading fast, thanks mostly to the rise of the cell phone.

The overhead light and fan do not work in this phone booth. The door is gone.
The overhead light and fan do not work in this phone booth. The door is gone.

Inside the phone booth at West End Avenue and 90th Street
Inside the phone booth at West End Avenue and 90th Street, one of the last 4 remaining outdoor, free-standing phone booths in the city.

The phone booth at West End Avenue and 90th Street is rusted in spots, but not much worse for wear.
The phone booth at West End Avenue and 90th Street is rusted in spots, but not much worse for wear.

The phone booth at West End Avenue and 90th Street is among the last of its kind in New York City.

The artwork on this Manhattan phone booth advertises The High Line park.

The artwork on this Manhattan phone booth advertises The High Line park.

Arted up phone booth at 66th Street and West End Avenue.
Arted up phone booth at 66th Street and West End Avenue. In 2003 I was photographed inside this booth for a story about this web site in Time Out New York.

Phone Booth at 66th Street & West End Avenue
Phone Booth at 66th Street & West End Avenue. One of the last outdoor, free-standing phone booths in New York City.

Phone Booth at 66th Street & West End Avenue.
Phone Booth at 66th Street & West End Avenue. One of the last outdoor, free-standing phone booths in New York City.

Inside a Rockefeller Center Phone Booth, March 2007

UBS Building Phone Booths, Rockefeller Center

Bronx Zoo, November 2009. (718) 364-8760/8765
November, 2009

Bronx Zoo, November 2009. (718) 562-0246/0241
Bronx Zoo, November 2009. (718) 562-0246/0241

Bronx Zoo, November 2009. (718) 562-0243/0242
Bronx Zoo, November 2009. (718) 562-0243/0242

Times Square Payphones. Thanksgiving Day, 2009
Times Square Payphones. Thanksgiving Day, 2009

52nd Street & 2nd Avenue. August, 2009
52nd Street & 2nd Avenue. August, 2009

NYC Phone Booths - Brooklyn
I wrote about these NYC phone booths here. These may be New York City's most perfect phone booths that are still in use.

Lincoln Center Phone Booths, East Side of Avery Fisher Hall.
These Manhattan phone booths used to have doors. Now they do not. All 3 of these 3 phone booths have seats, though this woman elected to stand. There used to be a set of phone books here but those phone books are gone. (212) 874-8883, (212) 874-8580, (212) 874-8585

Lincoln Center Phone Booths, West Side of Avery Fisher Hall
Lincoln Center Phone Booths, West Side of Avery Fisher Hall. August, 2009. - These Manhattan phone booths used to have doors. Now they do not. 2 of these 3 phone booths have seats. There used to be a set of phone books here but those phone books are gone. UPDATE: This photo is from August, 2009. Soon after this photo was taken these phone booths and the other set of Lincoln Center phone boothes were removed. The payphone numbers were (212) 874-8803, (212) 874-8707, and (212) 874-8629.

British Phone Box, Midtown Manhattan
This British-style Red Phone Box in Midtown Manhattan is a phone booth without a phone. It is evidently reserved for use by the security team at 437 Madison Avenue, though I have never noticed this booth being put to anything more than decorative use. As of December, 2013, there are four remaining outdoor, free-standing, fully functioning phone booths in Manhattan. One's definition of "Phone Booth" might extend to include this artistic creation on Third Avenue. A lonely old phone booth can still be seen on Yankee Pier, off of Governors Island, but fully-functioning outdoor phone booths are quite rare. Indoor phone booths are still pretty common in New York City, though most of them no longer have working payphones. The bright red British phone box in this picture does not count as a phone booth because it does not have a phone.

Cemetery Payphone Revisited. July, 2009
Cemetery Payphone Revisited. July, 2009 - I first photographed this payphone in October, 2006, but spotted it again in July, 2009. I was surprised to see that this payphone still existed at this location. Like everything else here, the line is dead.

Phone Booths. Brooklyn, New York. May, 2009
Brooklyn, New York. May, 2009 - Photo by Rachel Cline

New York Public Library, Wood Phone Booths, July 2009

New York Public Library, Wood Phone Booths, July 2009
New York Public Library, Wood Phone Booths, July 2009 - There are 4 booths here but only 3 phones. The second booth from the left is empty, with only a wire dangling where the payphone used to be.

There used to be phone booths here. This is the Rockefeller Center Concourse, near the entrance to the "Today" show

New York Public Library, wood phone booths. July, 2009
New York Public Library, wood phone booths. July, 2009 - It has been ten years since I last photographed this pair of wood phone booths at the main branch of Manhattan's New York Public Library (see the earlier photo here). Not much seems to have changed except that the phone books are gone. Another 1999 phone booth photo from the New York Public Library can be seen here.

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 2005
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 2005 - Photo by Pazzia

UBS Building Phone Booths, Rockefeller Center
The payphones in the phone booths in the basement of the UBS building are gone, and the booths themselves are expected to be removed soon (March 2009). Photos by Patricia

UBS Building Phone Booths, Rockefeller Center
The payphones in the phone booths in the basement of the UBS building are gone, and the booths themselves are expected to be removed soon (March 2009). Photos by Patricia

UBS Building Phone Booths, Rockefeller Center
The payphones in the phone booths in the basement of the UBS building are gone, and the booths themselves are expected to be removed soon (March 2009). Photos by Patricia

UBS Building Phone Booths, Rockefeller Center
UBS Building Phone Booths - The payphones in the phone booths in the basement of the UBS building are gone, and the booths themselves are expected to be removed soon (March 2009). Photos by Patricia

UBS Building Phone Booths, Rockefeller Center
The payphones in the phone booths in the basement of the UBS building are gone, and the booths themselves are expected to be removed soon (March 2009). Photos by Patricia

UBS Building Phone Booths, Rockefeller Center
This camera phone picture shows payphones inside the phone booths in the basement of the UBS Building in midtown Manhattan. As pictures to follow will show these payphones are gone, and the booths are expected to be removed as well. Photos by Patricia

UBS Building Phone Booths, Rockefeller Center
This camera phone picture shows payphones inside the phone booths in the basement of the UBS Building in midtown Manhattan. As pictures to follow will show these payphones are gone, and the booths are expected to be removed as well. Photos by Patricia

UBS Building Phone Booths, Rockefeller Center
This camera phone picture shows payphones inside the phone booths in the basement of the UBS Building in midtown Manhattan. As pictures to follow will show these payphones are gone, and the booths are expected to be removed as well. Photos by Patricia

It's a phone booth (of sorts) in midtown Manhattan. 747 Third Avenue. (212) 223-8906
This little structure is the closest thing to a fully-functioning outdoor phone booth as I have seen in midtown Manhattan. Besides this covered booth there are four remaining outdoor phone booths in Manhattan. They are all on West End Avenue. Click to see The Payphone Project's photos of the Last Phone Booths of Manhattan.

Beautiful Old Phone Booth in Astoria, Queens

Trash Can Inside the Phone Booth

3-Slot Rotary Dial Payphone

Instructions. How To Use a Payphone

3-Slot Rotary Dial Payphone

Rotary Dial Phone Booth
The first clue that this was not a genuine phone booth was the garbage can inside.

Rotary Dial Phone Booth
The booth was set up outside Sunswick 35/35, a neighborhood bar and grill. The real awning for Sunswick was covered with a blank sheet.

36th Avenue, Astoria. October, 2008
36th Avenue, Astoria. October, 2008

IMG 5303
Busted up Verizon payphone, Manhattan

S.A.C. Vending, Inc. Ozone Park
This payphone was owned by S.A.C. Vending, Inc., a company based in Ozone Park.

PPT ID 108875

Payphone Fortress

IMG 5263

Verizon/Bell Atlantic Payphone
Verizon/Bell Atlantic Payphone - I would not have thought that a Verizon payphone which still has a Bell Atlantic logo on it was all that unusual, but the New York Times seems to think it was worthy of a story.

Yellow Payphone, Northern Boulevard, Long Island City, Queens. September, 2008
See more photos of this abandoned payphone.

Gutted out Payphone, Astoria, Queens
Gutted out Payphone, Astoria, Queens

Rotary Dial Payphone, King Penny, Ditmars Boulevard, Astoria, NY - October, 2008
This rotary dial payphone is "Temporarily Out Of Order," and probably has been for many years. Its number was (718) 278-9139

Rotary Dial Payphone, Astoria NY - October, 2008
Rotary Dial Payphone, King Penny, Ditmars Boulevard, Astoria, NY - This rotary dial payphone is "Temporarily Out Of Order," and probably has been for many years. It's number was (718) 278-9139

Rotary Dial Payphone, Astoria NY - October, 2008
Rotary Dial Payphone, King Penny, Ditmars Boulevard, Astoria, NY - This rotary dial payphone is "Temporarily Out Of Order," and probably has been for many years. It's number was (718) 278-9139

IMG 0246
Manhattan Phone Booths, UBS Building