>> This passage was closed in the late 70's or early 80's,... <<
>>> This passage was closed in 1990 as part of the renovation of the 34th Street station. >>>
Just ran a NEXIS search in NYTimes. You're right, it closed a lot later than I thought and even a little later than you said. Seems
a woman was raped in the passage in 1991 - closed soon after.
I must have associated it with the closing of the Herald Square to Penn Station passage under 33rd, which definitely closed earlier. Any idea when? Maybe when Gimbels closed?
I'm not even sure this passage was NYCTA owned/controlled - it might have been private, what with the hotel and department store basement entrances off it. If I recall correctly, it had doors to close it off at night - metal and glass, kind of like dept store type doors - very unsubwaylike.