Make a good start on your forays into the rest of New York City by starting with the terminus and origin of all New York City subway trains – the Grand Central Terminal.  Even if you aren’t planning on taking the subway to some other place that’s interesting, you can probably spend a fascinating afternoon just exploring and discovering the nooks and crannies of this 100-year old depot.

Sometimes also referred to as Grand Central Station, or simply Grand Central, this rapid transit railroad terminal is located at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.  The site’s history as a transport terminal is long – and the current construction was essentially preceded by three different buildings intended to serve the same functions: The Grand Central Depot in 1871 which served railroad trains, the Grand Central Station in 1899-1900 serving steam trains, and the redesigned Grand Central Terminal which opened in 1913, servicing underground electric trains. 

To this day, it is the biggest terminal in the world, not only in the size of the building, but also in the number of tracks.  In the years that followed, this monument was almost destroyed by the proposed construction of a tower intended to halt the financial decline of its then-owner, Penn Central Railroad.  Prior to construction, however,Grand Central was declared a city landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.  For the first time, the Supreme Court ruled on a case of historic preservation, upholding government land-use regulatory powers.  Penn Central eventually went bankrupt.

The station continued its decline in the years that followed, with considerable destruction wrought by a bomb that exploded in 1876.  It was only during the period of 1994-2000 that Grand Central underwent a massive overhaul, restoration and renovation under the auspices of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority who had signed a 280-year lease.  The work was completed by 2007, and the terminal’s centennial was celebrated on February 1, 2013. 

The Grand Central Terminal today serves some 200,000 commuters, and in 2013, received some 21.6 million visitors.  The building features magnificent Beaux-Arts architecture, with a cavernous Main Concourse with an elaborately decorated ceiling, a Dining Concourse below with seating and lounge areas and a fine selection of restaurants – including the oldest of them all, the Oyster Bar.  Other points of interest in the station include Vanderbilt Hall, the elegant cocktail lounge at Campbell Apartment, the Whispering Gallery, the gourmet culinary market, and the “secret” elevated passageways for a magnificent view of the concourse.  Whether you prefer to just walk around, or to take a tour, there is much to see in this famous New York City landmark.

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