Grand Central Station is not only the name of the Post Office next door, but also the name of the old train station that sat on the site of where the current Grand Central Terminal sits. • Since its opening, Grand Central Terminal has gone by three official names: Grand Central Depot, Grand Central Station and its current moniker. Everything you need to know about visiting Grand Central Terminal, Main Concourse (89 E 42nd St, NY 10017).Grand Central Terminal is more than a stop: It’s a … Many have been closed or repurposed since the introduction of ticket vending machines. Grand Central Terminal, Main Concourse | Manhattan, NY. Photo credit: New York Transit Museum. [3] Its vastness was meant to evoke the terminal's "grand" status. Grand Central Terminal is a majestic Beaux-Arts architectural masterpiece with 44 train platforms operated by Metro-North Railroad, a central subway station in Midtown Manhattan with access to the 4, 5, 6, S, and 7 subway lines, 68 shops, 35 dining options, and … A skylight was originally supposed to be installed to provide light into the terminal, and accommodations were made for a large ceiling light, in case an office building were to be constructed over the terminal. For the first 54 years of the terminal's operation, train arrival and departure information was hand-chalked on a blackboard. While the Dining Concourse was completed and opened early, the Main Concourse was completed in 1913, and opened along with the rest of the terminal. [11][28], The terminal's primary departure board is located on the south side of the concourse, installed directly atop the two sets of ticket windows. No membership needed. 768 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos taken at ‘Grand Central Station - Main Concourse’ [66][67][68] A thirteen-and-a-half-foot-diameter (4.1 m) illuminated clock hung in the Main Concourse at the entrance to the main waiting room from the 1960s to the 1990s. There were two earlier train stations on its location. In 1947, 65 million people passed through Grand Central Terminal, 40 percent of the nation’s population. The space was formerly the Grand Central Theatre or Terminal Newsreel Theatre, open from 1937 to around 1979. Grand Central Terminal is open to the public daily 5:15 AM – 2:00 AM Individual store, restaurant , market , dining concourse and holiday hours may differ. This enormous French Second Empire-style train depot was constructed out of a need for train platforms on 42nd Street. The present-day Grand Central Terminal is built upon the site of the similarly named Grand Central Depot. Cancer Crab Grand Central by David Shankbone.jpg 2,084 × … Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images Main concourse, looking south, Grand Central Terminal, New York Contributor Names Detroit Publishing Co., publisher Over 500,000 people rush through Grand Central every day, but today, things slowed down just a bit as commuters and tourists alike stopped to notice what was happening around them. • There are 2,500 stars on the main concourse's zodiac-themed ceiling mural. [22], The four corners of the Main Concourse have roughly square towers, lobbies for the office tower proposed to be built atop the terminal since its planning began. [38] Originally these were cloth curtains with train information stitched onto them, posted at the platform entrances. The cavernous concourse measures 275 ft (84 m) long by 120 ft (37 m) wide by 125 ft (38 m) high;[6][7][8]:74 a total of about 35,000 square feet (3,300 m2). Grand Central Terminal is open to the public daily 5:15 AM – 2:00 AM Individual store, restaurant , market , dining concourse and holiday hours may differ. This is the unofficial motto of New York State and the official state song. In 1943, this mural was replaced by another, 75 by 30 feet (22.9 m × 9.1 m), also installed over the east wall. [22][23] Each 24-inch (61 cm) face[18] is made from opalescent glass, now often called opal glass or milk glass. [24], The clock was first stopped for repairs in 1954, after it was found to be losing a minute or two per day. [56], The concourse's large American flag was installed there a few days after the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. [82], The concourse's architecture, including its central clock, is depicted on the stage of Saturday Night Live, an NBC television show. Both logos omit the word "terminal" in its name, in recognition to how most people refer to the building.[16]. The concourse is lit by ten globe-shaped chandeliers in the Beaux-Arts style, each of which weighs 800 pounds (360 kg)[58] and contains 110 bulbs. Everything you need to know about visiting Grand Central Terminal, Main Concourse (89 E 42nd St, NY 10017). [26] Through the 1980s, they were set to a master clock at a workshop in Grand Central. The 35,000-square-foot (3,300 m2) concourse[3] leads directly to most of the terminal's upper-level tracks, although some are accessed from passageways near the concourse. One of the most famous photographs of the space shows light streaming from its clerestory windows down to the floor. [63] The war also prompted the Farm Security Administration to install a 118 ft × 100 ft (36 m × 30 m) mural on the Main Concourse's east wall in 1941. The space is located at the center of the terminal's station building. There, savor oysters and catches of the day at Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant—in business for as long as Grand Central Terminal has existed—or bear the line at Shake Shack. "Constellations Reversed: New Grand Central Ceiling Has the Heavens Turned Around", "The World's 50 Most Visited Tourist Attractions – No. The booth is topped by a four-faced brass clock, one of Grand Central's most recognizable icons. The original building on the site was called the … Westgate New York Grand Central is uniquely positioned just two short blocks from the most famous terminal in the world! [4] The Main Concourse is usually filled with bustling crowds and is often used as a meeting place.[5]. The clock, which has presided over Grand Central’s Main Concourse since the Terminal opened in 1913, has stood out amidst the swirl of commuters and the flow of … • Since its opening, Grand Central Terminal has gone by three official names: Grand Central Depot, Grand Central Station and its current moniker. Download this stock image: Main Concourse in Grand Central Terminal, Manhattan, New York City inside the building interior, Grand Central Station, Grand Central Station New York - CPJHTB from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors. Among the long-term elements was a massive illuminated clock, in place from 1959 to the late 1980s. In the 1960s, the terminal's tenant CBS installed a CBS News television screen above the ticket offices to follow the spaceflights of Project Mercury;[6] thousands would gather in the Main Concourse to watch key events of the flights. During the terminal's restoration in the 1990s, the east staircase was added. The Main Concourse's ceiling is an elliptical barrel vault, with its base at an elevation of 121.5 feet and its crown at 160.25 feet. Grand Central Terminal is at 42nd Street and Park Avenue, served by commuter trains and several subway lines. Aug. 7, 1959: A 15-foot clock hung over the bustle of Grand Central Terminal, sporting an advertisement for its maker, Westclox (appearing on Page 19 of this issue). [47], A false ceiling of square boards, installed in 1944, bears an elaborate mural of constellations painted with more than 2,500 stars and several bands in gold set against a turquoise backdrop. It uses the same stone as the west staircase, as well, as a similar design (modified for ADA compliance, and to show close observers that it is not original). [59], Underneath the east and west balconies lie two intricately carved marble water fountains. A Century of Grand Central Terminal There’s no place like Grand Central. The distinctive architecture and design of the Main Concourse helped earn several landmark designations for the station, including as a National Historic Landmark. Fodor's Expert Review Grand Central Terminal. A few years, Apple opened a large store on the east balcony and a very impressive food market opened up west of the main concourse. A few years, Apple opened a large store on the east balcony and a very impressive food market opened up west of the main concourse. Download this stock image: Main Concourse at Grand Central Terminal, New York City, New York State, United States of America. The present-day Grand Central Terminal is built upon the site of the similarly named Grand Central Depot. Please check the Shop and Dine and Plan Your Visit pages for details. Friendly warning! Since the mid-20th century, the room started to deteriorate, as its windows were darkened, advertisements were installed on its walls, and bank kiosks were placed on its floor. Today, travelers will find an information booth and ornate four-faced opal clock. • Roughly 750,000 people pass through the main concourse daily. Westgate New York Grand Central is uniquely positioned just two short blocks from the most famous terminal in the world! 20140211 NewYork 3787 (14528753534).jpg 1,365 × 2,048; 1.95 MB A Grand Central Station map is available in the Main Concourse at the "I LOVE NEW YORK" booth. New York, USA - December 28, 2014: Main Concourse of Grand Central Terminal crowded with people during the Christmas Holidays. The west and northwest balconies also housed a Michael Jordan's Steakhouse for years; the space is currently is vacant. Browning, Irving, 1895-1961 Browning, Sam Browning Studio It is an iconic railroad station and one of the most visited places in the world. Please check the Shop and Dine and Plan Your Visit pages for details. As for dining, find 35 restaurants to choose from. This post shows a vintage photograph of the Main Concourse in Grand Central Terminal from 1988. Grand Central Terminal - Main Concourse. | CanStock Its east and northeast balconies house an Apple Store. © 2021 Time Out America LLC and affiliated companies owned by Time Out Group Plc. Go for a drink at The Campbell This restored establishment—formerly The Campbell Bar—reopened in May 2017. The clock, sometimes referred to as "Big Ben", had chimes, and after 1986, news and stock information. [61][62] Additionally, Kodak displayed a large photographic display, the Colorama, over the east balcony from 1950 to 1989. [29][30], There have been five departure boards used over the terminal's history: the 1913–1967 chalkboard, the 1967–1985 Solari board, the 1985–1996 Omega board, the 1996–2019 LCD board, and the 2019 fully digital display. Download this stock image: Main Concourse in Grand Central Terminal, Manhattan, New York City, Manhattan inside the building interior - CPJHND from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors. The two are connected by a spiral staircase. [44] Catwalks, used mostly for maintenance, run across the east and west windows. [35][41], Natural light comes from large windows in the concourse's east and west walls. The sheer scale and elegance of the main concourse transforms the daily commute into a complex choreography as commuters and tourists negotiate through th… Once the main waiting room in Grand Central Terminal, Vanderbilt Hall was built in 1913 and provides a spectacular setting for both public and private events. An urban legend, which arose in news reports in the 1990s or even earlier, claimed that the clock faces were actually made of opal, a precious gem, and that renowned auction houses had estimated their worth at millions of dollars. But these are unusual times, so please check that venues remain open. The New York Transit Museum has an annex location there, selling NYC transit–related merchandise and displaying rotating exhibits. [71], The Main Concourse has also been used as a gathering venue. Since opening in 1913, this iconic Beaux Arts landmark gets about 750,000 people passing through every single day. The building's purchase by the MTA in 2020 has ensured its well-kept state for the foreseeable future. Due to Grand Central's importance in civilian and military transit, many of the terminal's windows were covered with blackout paint, which would prevent aerial bombers from easily detecting the building. The room's Beaux-Arts design incorporates numerous works of art. [24], Along with the rest of the New York Central Railroad system's clocks, it was formerly set to a clock in the train dispatcher's office at Grand Central. 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