Grand Central Terminal is a beautiful Beaux-arts building in midtown Manhattan. First opened in 1913, Grand Central Terminal underwent a massive restoration to restore it to its former glory, and is now both a transportation hub, as well as a destination in itself for visitors to New York City.The terminal serves commuters traveling on the Metro-North Railroad to Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties in New York State, and Fairfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut. The terminal used to be served by Amtrak, but in 1991 their trains moved to nearbyPennsylvania Station as a result of the completion of the Empire Connection.Although the terminal has been properly called “Grand Central Terminal” since 1913, many people continue to refer to it as “Grand Central Station”, the name of the previous rail station on the same site. It is also sometimes used to refer to the Grand Central – 42nd Street subway station, which serves the terminal. “Grand Central Station” is also the official name of the adjacent post office station on the Lexington Avenue side, but it is not part of the terminal.According to the travel magazine Travel + Leisure in its October 2011 survey, Grand Central Terminal is “the world’s number six most visited tourist attraction”, bringing in approximately 21,600,000 visitors annually.
History of Grand Central Station
Owned and operated by Don Davis, Central Station began as a Pub on September 12, 1991, with the purchase of a historic Baltimore rowhome (constructed in 1865).On Feb. 5 2003, Central Station expanded dramatically with the purchase of the adjacent “Stagecoach” property.Shortly after (on May 30, 2003) an expansive double bar “disco” with state-of-the-art dance floor was added to the original property. With an additional upstairs lounge, the property was renamed Grand Central.Nestled in the heart of historic Mount Vernon Grand Central quickly established itself as the cornerstone of trendy, upscale nightlife in Baltimore city.With neighboring four-star eateries, outdoor cafes, quaint B&Bs, and charming hotels, Mount Vernon is the best Baltimore has to offer.
A Grand Design of Grand Central Station
The building’s facade on 42nd Street has a true beaux-arts design. Large arches flanked by Corinthian columns are topped by a large sculpture group designed by Jules-Alexis Coutain. The 50ft / 15m high group depicts Mercury supported by Minerva and Hercules.Inside, the main concourse is most impressive. It is 470ft long, 160ft wide and 150ft high (143 x 49 x 43 meter). The ceiling is painted by the French artist Paul Helleu. The design with zodiac constellations was taken from a medieval manuscript. It is painted backwards, so the stars are shown as they would be seen by god, not by man. Light enters the main concourse through six 75ft / 23m arched windows. The western double staircase in Botticino marble was designed after the large staircase in the former Opera building in Paris. It connects the main concourse with the entrance on the Vanderbilt Avenue. The floor of the concourse is of Tennessee marble, the walls of Caen stone.Grand Central Station is a Beautiful Place For Vacations.
Redevelopment of Grand Central Station
In 1994, the firms of LaSalle Partners and Williams Jackson Ewing were chosen by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to redevelop Grand Central Terminal.The firms were chosen for their successful renovation of another Beaux-Arts icon, the Union Station in Washington DC.The MTA’s goal was to increase revenue while restoring the building’s former grandeur. This was achieved by renovating the large public areas, removing former alterations (like lowered ceilings), adding a new entrance and creating a retail mall and food court, similar to the renovation project in Washington D.C.During the 197 million dollar restoration process, a large iron eagle was added on top of the new Lexington Avenue & 43rd Street entrance. This eagle once adorned the first Grand Central Station in 1898.
Terminal City of Grand Central Station
The project included not just the new railway station, but a whole complex with office buildings and apartments, which became known as ‘Terminal City’. This was a ‘city in the city’ complex, similar to the concept of the Rockefeller Center created several decades later. Special attention was paid to the circulation of traffic. Pedestrians and cars are separated by special elevated ramps which lead the cars around the railway station USA tour & travels. Construction of the Grand Central Terminal lasted 10 years and cost 80 million dollars. In the process, 180 buildings between 42nd and 50th street, including hospitals and churches, were demolished. The railway station officially opened on sunday February 2, 1913. But it would last until 1927 before the station was fully operational.