Grand Central

Image © Marc Yankus

July 23, 2019

Grand Central photography exhibit shows iconic landmarks on empty NYC streets

Last Thursday, MTA Arts and Design announced a new installation going up in Grand Central Terminal. “Landmark City” showcases photographs of iconic landmark buildings that have been altered to appear on completely empty streets. The installation, by acclaimed photographer Marc Yankus, is set to run for a year in GCT’s East Dining Concourse.
Find out more

Events & Things To Do

The slow death of the MetroCard begins next spring

Photo via Phil Hollenback/Flickr

June 14, 2018

The slow death of the MetroCard begins next spring

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

It’s the end of an era but one that might not be too sentimental. As of May 2019, the MTA is launching its new fare payment method for the 4, 5, and 6 lines and all bus routes on Staten Island, reports amNY. No more steel bars karate chopping your abdomen when you realize your MetroCard is out of credit. Starting next spring, riders can use credit cards, mobile phones, smart watches, and mobile wallets to travel... but you'll still be able to swipe your old MetroCard until 2023.
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A look back at the lost Grand Centrals of the late 19th century

Grand Central Station in the early 1900s

January 17, 2017

A look back at the lost Grand Centrals of the late 19th century

By Dana Schulz

Historic photos of the original Penn Station are almost as common as images of the current site, since its demolition in 1963 is often credited with spearheading the modern preservation movement (and because its grandeur is a startling reminder of how loathed the current station is). Conversely, Grand Central is typically celebrated as a preservation victory. In 1978, the courts ruled in favor of the Landmarks Preservation Commission when Penn Central Railroad sued them to build a huge tower atop the terminal and demolish one of its facades. But believe it or not, the 1913 Beaux-Arts building was not the first Grand Central, and photos of these grand earlier structures are rarely shared.
See them here and get the full history

History

Photo From 1918 Shows a Towering Pyramid of 12,000 German Helmets in Front of Grand Central

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

January 18, 2016

Photo From 1918 Shows a Towering Pyramid of 12,000 German Helmets in Front of Grand Central

By Rebecca Paul

Grand Central Terminal has a great deal of hidden history and underground secrets, but this powerful image of German helmets taken in 1918 might not be on everyone's radar. The photo documents a collection of captured WWI helmets from German soldiers stacked in a pyramid shape on Victory Way. The politically potent tower was in view of the employees from New York Central Terminal with the famous train station visible in the background.
More on this alarming photo

History

November 16, 2015

This 80-Story I.M. Pei-Designed Tower Almost Replaced Grand Central

By Dana Schulz

The year was 1956. Plans to demolish Penn Station hadn't yet been set into motion. But plans to demolish NYC's other famous train station were well underway. When Grand Central was constructed in 1913, its architects envisioned that it would one day be the base of a skyscraper, but in the early 1950s, developers hoped to demolish the terminal altogether to make way for what would have been the tallest building in the world. Famed architect I.M Pei was tasked with the job, and he designed an 80-story, hourglass-shaped, futuristic tower known as the Hyperboloid.
More details and a video on the never-built project

September 25, 2015

VIDEO: Why Did the Nazis Want to Destroy This Secret Power Substation Below Grand Central?

By Dana Schulz

"In the past, if you'd stepped into this elevator by mistake, you faced being shot at the other end, in case you told anyone what you saw," says the narrator of this video from the Science Channel. And this is, essentially, what happened to two German spies when they tried to attack this hidden power substation below Grand Central. But let's back up. When Grand Central was built in 1913, part of the plan was to add a top-secret power substation. After tunneling down through ten stories of solid bedrock, engineers blasted and carved out a top-secret chamber known as M42, almost as wide as the terminal itself and covering 22,000 square feet. Here, nine rotary converters each weighing 15 tons and reaching heights of 20 feet, transferred 11,000 volts of alternating current to power the trains above. In 1941, when America joined WWII, the secrecy paid off.
Find out how Adolf Hitler almost destroyed the substation

History

April 23, 2015

What to do During Lower East Side History Month; Number of NYC Cyclists Tripled over Past Ten Years

By Dana Schulz

There’s a $10 million precious stone hidden in plain sight at Grand Central. [Business Insider] Grand Central also used to have its own movie theater. [Gothamist] Lower East Side History Month kicks off in May. Here’s a list of all the events, including exhibits, walking tours, film screenings, and more. [The Lo-Down] If you’re looking […]

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November 17, 2014

One Vanderbilt: New Images of Midtown East’s Zigzag Supertower

By Ondel Hylton

Recently at the Municipal Art Society's 2014 Summit for NYC, James von Klemperer, FAIA , a principal at Kohn Pederson Fox & Associates, briefed the audience with new details on the architecture firm's upcoming supertall project known as One Vanderbilt. In case you haven't been paying attention, the 68-story, 1,514-foot zigzag building is expected to become the tallest office tower in Midtown and third tallest in the city behind One World Trade Center (1,776 feet to spire tip) and Extell's Nordstrom Tower (1,775 feet to spire tip).
Check out all the new images of the supertall tower here

October 15, 2014

75% of Grand Central’s $210M Renovation Money Will Go to the 4, 5, 6 Trains

By Diane Pham

New York City's most taxed line is about to get a sizable cash infusion. Of the $210 million that developer SL Green Realty has budgeted for improving Grand Central's subway station for the green light to construct a 65-story office tower next door, more than 75% will go toward the Lexington Avenue line, Crain's reports. Yesterday, a 63-page study was delivered to Manhattan's Community Board 5 and to transportation advocates who have called for Midtown East's rezoning to include improvements to transportation infrastructure to meet current demand as well as the influx of nearly 16,000 workers as new lines are drawn. So where exactly will the money go?
Where will the money will go?

October 10, 2014

Daily Link Fix: 11 Secrets of Grand Central; HoodiePillow Creates the Ultimate Napping Experience

By Dana Schulz

Did you know the stars on the ceiling of Grand Central are painted in 23-karat gold? This and ten other secrets of the train terminal are on Thrillist. Architects have created a 3D-printed column that can withstand earthquakes. Details on Wired. Curbed takes a tour of the building that changed New York City’s zoning laws–the […]

Uncategorized

REVEALED: Skyline Views of KPF’s One Vanderbilt Near Grand Central

By Dana Schulz

We've been keeping a close eye on One Vanderbilt, SL Green's new 65-story office tower planned for the entire block west of Grand Central and north of East 42nd Street. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, it will be the second-tallest building in the city when completed. Now, Yimby has hot-off-the-press skyline views of One Vanderbilt from KPF, and the newest NYC supertall certainly stands out amongst the nearby Empire State Building and Chrysler Building.
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