grand central panoramic
Yes, I said “terminal”. While often referred to as “Grand Central Station”, this facility is actually known as a terminal because the tracks into the building end. The building opened on February 2nd, 1913 and was constructed by the old New York Central railroad.
The building was nearly razed several times as the railroads that built it went into an era of decline. This led to several developers proposing towers be built where it stood, beginning in 1954. Finally in 1968, a plan by Penn Central to construct a tower over Grand Central was decried by huge opposition, led by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis who stated:
“Is it not cruel to let our city die by degrees, stripped of all her proud monuments, until there will be nothing left of all her history and beauty to inspire our children? If they are not inspired by the past of our city, where will they find the strength to fight for her future? Americans care about their past, but for short term gain they ignore it and tear down everything that matters. Maybe… this is the time to take a stand, to reverse the tide, so that we won’t all end up in a uniform world of steel and glass boxes.”
This subsequently led to a ruling by the Supreme Court between Penn Central and the city of New York whereby the court ruled that enforcing historic preservation would not be equivalent to the “taking” of Penn Central’s property under the Fifth Amendment. In 1970, Penn Central fell into bankruptcy and its title on the terminal fell into the hands of its successor. In 1994, the MTA then signed a 280 year lease and began a massive restoration of the grand terminal.
grand central looking south
Besides being the home to the terminus of Metro North Railroad, and at some point the Long Island Railroad, Grand Central is also home to several amazing restaurants and shops. From a great oyster bar on the lower level, to a high end farmers market on the concourse level, there is plenty to do and see. One thing not to miss is the acoustic anomaly that exist just outside the Grand Central Oyster bar. Whisper into one corner of the foyer like square that exists just in front of the Oyster bar, and have someone hear you on the opposite side just as if they were standing right next to you.
When in the city, it is definitely recommended to reserve some time for a tour of the amazing building.
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