111-543: The Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant is a seafood restaurant on the lower level of Grand Central Terminal at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Manhattan , New York City . The restaurant space was first opened as the Grand Central Terminal Restaurant. Although Grand Central Terminal opened on February 2, 1913, its opening was celebrated one day prior, February 1, with a dinner at
222-522: A Starbucks coffee shop, a Rite Aid pharmacy, and an Apple Store . The Oyster Bar, the oldest business in the terminal, sits next to the Dining Concourse and below Vanderbilt Hall. An elegantly restored cocktail lounge, the Campbell , sits just south of the 43rd Street/Vanderbilt Avenue entrance. A mix of commuters and tourists access it from the street or the balcony level. The space
333-477: A caduceus below an inscripted panel that reads: "To all those with head, heart, and hand • Toiled in the construction of this monument to the public service • This is inscribed." Above the panel is a clock framed by a pair of carved cornucopias. In 2014, the foyer was named for Onassis, former First Lady of the United States , who in the 1970s helped ward off the demolition of
444-446: A theatre in the round , spectators sit on three sides of the court. A men's smoking room and women's waiting room were formerly located on the west and east sides of Vanderbilt Hall, respectively. In 2016, the men's room was renovated into Agern , an 85-seat Nordic-themed fine dining and Michelin-starred restaurant operated by Noma co-founder Claus Meyer , who also ran the food hall. Both venues permanently closed in 2020 during
555-663: A whispering gallery by which someone standing in one corner can hear someone standing in the opposite corner perfectly no matter how softly they speak. Two Japanese branches have opened in Tokyo . The first, the GCOBR Shinagawa, is located on the 4th floor of Atre Shinagawa in the Shinagawa Station . The second, GCOBR Marunouchi, is located in Marunouchi MY PLAZA near Tokyo Station . A small branch
666-649: A Metro-North train before collecting them three weeks later. In 1996, some of the lost-and-found items were displayed at an art exhibition. Grand Central Terminal contains restaurants such as the Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant and various fast food outlets surrounding the Dining Concourse. There are also delis, bakeries, a gourmet and fresh food market, and an annex of the New York Transit Museum . The 40-plus retail stores include newsstands and chain stores, including
777-521: A bank of four elevators, along with intricate staircases. The Main Concourse has featured numerous advertisements, displays, and kiosks on its floor since the terminal's opening. Among the long-term elements was a massive illuminated clock, in place from 1959 to the late 1980s. Additionally, Kodak displayed a large photographic display, the Colorama , over the east balcony from 1950 to 1989. While
888-708: A celebration for the New York Giants after they won the NFL championship in 1933; an event for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1941; and several large parties and New Year's celebrations. Various special exhibits and events have also been held at the Main Concourse throughout the years. The Main Concourse is one of the most-photographed places in New York City and the United States. One of
999-617: A contract to refurbish the Biltmore Room into an arrival area for Long Island Rail Road passengers as part of the East Side Access project. As part of the project, the room's booths and stands were replaced by a pair of escalators and an elevator to Grand Central Madison's deep-level concourse, which opened in May 2023. The room's blackboard displayed the arrival and departure times of New York Central trains until 1967, when
1110-463: A distinctive flapping sound as they rotated to reflect changes. In 1985, the Solari board was replaced with the more technologically advanced Omega board, with flip panels controlled by a computer database of train information instead of manual inputs. It was built by watchmaker Omega SA to a design by Advanced Computer Systems of Dayton, Ohio , which also installed it. This board was removed during
1221-530: A final cost of $ 75 million. In spring 2000, construction began on a project to enclose the Northeast and Northwest passages with ceilings and walls. Work on each passage was expected to take 7.5 months, with the entire project wrapping up by summer 2001. As part of the project, the walls of the passages were covered with glazed terrazzo ; the Northeast Passage's walls have blue-green accents while
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#17327824647341332-516: A gathering venue. 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 ; thousands would gather in the Main Concourse to watch key events of the flights. Politicians such as U.S. presidents Calvin Coolidge and Harry S. Truman ; presidential candidates Thomas Dewey and Robert F. Kennedy ; and governor Herbert Lehman have also held events within
1443-568: A large ceiling light, in case an office building were to be constructed over the terminal. 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 is a less-detailed version of an earlier mural painted directly on the ceiling itself. The original mural, conceived in 1912 by architect Warren and painter Paul César Helleu and executed in 1913 by Brooklyn's Hewlett-Basing Studio, became water-damaged and faded by
1554-403: A mechanical board was installed in the Main Concourse. The Station Master's Office, located near Track 36, has Grand Central's only dedicated waiting room. The space has benches, restrooms, and a floral mixed-media mural on three of its walls. The room's benches were previously located in the former waiting room, now known as Vanderbilt Hall. Since 2008, the area has offered free Wi-Fi. One of
1665-495: A new agreement in 1983 prompted a $ 500,000 donation to a landmarks fund instead. The concourse's architecture, including its central clock, is depicted on the stage of Saturday Night Live , an NBC television show. The soundstage reconstruction of the terminal in Studio 8H was first installed in 2003. An additional inspiration taken from the Main Concourse is at the terminal's wine-and-liquor store Central Cellars. The space
1776-634: A precaution during the COVID-19 pandemic , Grand Central North closed on March 26, 2020. It reopened in September of that year with hours from 6:30 to 10 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. In 2021, its original hours were restored. On November 1, 2021, the entrance to the northeastern corner of Madison Avenue and 47th Street was "closed long-term to accommodate the construction of 270 Park Avenue ". After Grand Central Madison begins full service, Grand Central North will be open from 5:30 a.m. until 2 a.m., seven days
1887-490: A reference to Cornelius Vanderbilt's commercial beginnings in shipping and ferry businesses. In 2017, the MTA based its new logo for the terminal on the engraved design; MTA officials said its black and gold colors have long been associated with the terminal. The spur of the letter "G" has a depiction of a railroad spike . The 2017 logo succeeded one created by the firm Pentagram for the terminal's centennial in 2013. It depicted
1998-515: A terminal renovation in July 1996; it was replaced several months later with liquid-crystal displays that replicated the analog look of the older boards, yet were the first to span over both the east and west ticket offices. Between March and September 2019, the LCD boards — whose software had become unavailable — were removed from their housings and replaced by LED video wall screens. Designed by
2109-576: A week. The main entrance into the terminal, underneath the Park Avenue Viaduct, opens into the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Foyer. The room is a short passage with a sloped floor and arched shop windows along its side walls. It is adorned with glass and bronze chandeliers, a classical cornice, and a decorative tympanum above the doors leading to Vanderbilt Hall. The tympanum has sculpted bronze garlands and
2220-402: A year, 60% of which were eventually claimed. In 2013, the bureau reported an 80% return rate, among the highest in the world for a transit agency. Some of the more unusual items collected by the bureau include fake teeth, prosthetic body parts, legal documents, diamond pouches, live animals, and a $ 100,000 violin. One story has it that a woman purposely left her unfaithful husband's ashes on
2331-670: A year, more than any other Metro-North station. During morning rush hour , a train arrives at the terminal every 58 seconds. Three of Metro-North's five main lines terminate at Grand Central: Through these lines, the terminal serves Metro-North commuters traveling to and from the Bronx in New York City; Westchester , Putnam , and Dutchess counties in New York ; and Fairfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut . The MTA's Long Island Rail Road operates commuter trains to
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#17327824647342442-426: Is an information booth topped with a four-sided brass clock, one of Grand Central's most recognizable icons. The terminal's main departure boards are located at the south end of the space. The boards have been replaced numerous times since their initial installation in 1967. In their design for the station's interior, Reed & Stem created a circulation system that allowed passengers alighting from trains to enter
2553-401: Is lit by Beaux-Arts chandeliers, each with 132 bulbs on four tiers. Vanderbilt Hall was formerly the main waiting room for the terminal, used particularly by intercity travelers. The space featured double-sided oak benches and could seat 700 people. As long-distance passenger service waned, the space became favored by the homeless, who began regularly living there in the 1980s. In 1989, the room
2664-435: Is located at the center of the terminal's station building . The distinctive architecture and design of the Main Concourse helped earn several landmark designations for the station, including as a National Historic Landmark . The concourse, along with some other interior spaces, has been protected as an interior New York City Landmark since 1980. The room's Beaux-Arts design incorporates numerous works of art . The terminal
2775-523: Is located in Terminal C at Newark Liberty International Airport . Grand Central Terminal Metro-North Railroad terminal Grand Central Terminal ( GCT ; also referred to as Grand Central Station or simply as Grand Central ) is a commuter rail terminal located at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan , New York City . Grand Central is the southern terminus of
2886-412: Is located on the upper platform level of Grand Central, in the geographical center of the station building. The 35,000-square-foot (3,300 m ) concourse leads directly to most of the terminal's upper-level tracks, although some are accessed from passageways near the concourse. The Main Concourse is usually filled with bustling crowds and is often used as a meeting place. At the center of the concourse
2997-404: Is northwest of the Main Concourse and directly beneath 22 Vanderbilt , the former Biltmore Hotel building. The room was completed in 1915 as a waiting room for intercity trains, which led to its colloquial name of the "Kissing Room", in reference to the greetings that would take place there. As the station's passenger traffic declined in mid-century, the room fell into neglect. In 1982 and 1983,
3108-599: Is not original). The staircases were modeled after those of the Palais Garnier in Paris. The concourse floor is made of pink Tennessee marble . The concourse is lit by ten globe-shaped chandeliers in the Beaux-Arts style, each of which weighs 800 pounds (360 kg) and contains 110 bulbs. Underneath the east and west balconies lie two intricately carved marble water fountains. The fountains, which date to
3219-406: Is often used as a meeting place, and is especially featured in films and television. Grand Central Terminal contains a variety of stores and food vendors, including upscale restaurants and bars, a food hall, and a grocery marketplace. The building is also noted for its library, event hall, tennis club, control center and offices for the railroad, and sub-basement power station. Grand Central Terminal
3330-426: Is one of the world's ten most-visited tourist attractions, with 21.6 million visitors in 2018, excluding train and subway passengers. The Main Concourse is located on the upper platform level of Grand Central, in the geographical center of the station building. The 35,000-square-foot (3,300 m ) concourse leads directly to most of the terminal's upper-level tracks, although some are accessed from passageways near
3441-597: Is part of Cipriani S.A. The west and northwest balconies also housed a Michael Jordan's Steakhouse for years; the space is currently vacant. The concourse, in the terminal's center, leads north to its train shed as well as an escalator, placed centrally on the north wall, leading up to the MetLife Building . There is only one entrance from the south end – a wide bridge spanning over the Oyster Bar ramps leading into Vanderbilt Hall. Passageways also lead from
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3552-615: Is the third-busiest train station in North America , after New York Penn Station and Toronto Union Station . The distinctive architecture and interior design of Grand Central Terminal's station house have earned it several landmark designations, including as a National Historic Landmark . Its Beaux-Arts design incorporates numerous works of art . Grand Central Terminal is one of the world's ten most-visited tourist attractions, with 21.6 million visitors in 2018, excluding train and subway passengers. The terminal's Main Concourse
3663-736: The Empire Builder , the San Francisco Zephyr , the Southwest Limited , the Crescent , and the Sunset Limited under Amtrak. Destinations included San Francisco , Los Angeles , Vancouver , New Orleans , Chicago , and Montreal . Another notable former train was New York Central's 20th Century Limited , a luxury service that operated to Chicago's LaSalle Street Station between 1902 and 1967 and
3774-538: The COVID-19 pandemic . City Winery signed a lease for both the food hall and the Agern space in 2022. The firm opened a wine bar, a quick-service restaurant named City Jams, and a farm-to-table restaurant named Cornelius in these spaces that November. The Biltmore Room, originally known simply as the incoming train room, is a 64-by-80-foot (20 by 24 m) marble hall that serves as an entrance to tracks 39 through 42, and connects to Grand Central Madison. The hall
3885-405: The COVID-19 pandemic . It briefly reopened for two weeks and closed again when its underground location failed to attract foot traffic. It then resumed its activities back to normal business from 2021 on. Its architecture features the vaulted, Guastavino tiled ceilings common in the era of its construction. The archway in front of the restaurant is also famous for an acoustical quirk making it
3996-565: The Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP). The initial group of managers bought a near-majority of the company's stock with a loan between 1999 and 2001. They purchased the remainder between 2004 and 2008. Staff at the Oyster Bar are represented by UNITE HERE Local 100. In 2016, the Zagat Survey gave it a food rating of 22/30, "Very Good To Excellent". The Oyster Bar closed for a majority of 2020 during
4107-526: The Grand Central Madison station beneath Grand Central, completed in 2023 in the East Side Access project. The project connects the terminal to all of the railroad's branches via its Main Line , linking Grand Central Madison to almost every LIRR station. Partial service to Jamaica began on January 25, 2023. The New York City Subway 's adjacent Grand Central–42nd Street station serves
4218-726: The Metro-North Railroad 's Harlem , Hudson and New Haven Lines , serving the northern parts of the New York metropolitan area . It also contains a connection to the Long Island Rail Road through the Grand Central Madison station, a 16-acre (65,000 m ) rail terminal underneath the Metro-North station, built from 2007 to 2023. The terminal also connects to the New York City Subway at Grand Central–42nd Street station . The terminal
4329-407: The 1920s. In 1945, New York Central covered it with cement-and-asbestos boards and a new version of the mural. Both the original mural and its mid-century copy contain several astronomical inaccuracies: the stars within some constellations appear correctly as they would from earth, other constellations are reversed left-to-right, as is the overall arrangement of the constellations on the ceiling. Though
4440-483: The 1990s. The clock, sometimes referred to as "Big Ben", had chimes, and after 1986, news and stock information. The clock was sponsored by at least five companies; its first and most significant was Westclox . All of these advertisements and fixtures were removed around the time of the terminal's renovation in the 1990s; only four advertisement screens remain on the concourse, each about 7 by 6 feet (2.1 m × 1.8 m). The Main Concourse has also been used as
4551-421: The 1998 renovation, which restored the ramps' original appearance with one minor change: the bridge now has a low balustrade, replacing an eight-foot-high solid wall that blocked views between the two levels. The underside of the bridge is covered with Guastavino tiling . The bridge's arches create a whispering gallery in the landing beneath it: a person standing in one corner can hear another speaking softly in
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4662-555: The 47th and 48th Street entrances were open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., while the two entrances to the Helmsley Building were closed. Five years after they opened, the passageways were used by about 30,000 people on a typical weekday. But they served only about 6,000 people on a typical weekend, so the MTA proposed to close them on weekends to save money as part of the 2005–2008 Financial Plan. Since summer 2006, Grand Central North has been closed on weekends. As
4773-404: The Dining Concourse was completed and opened early, the Main Concourse was completed in 1913, and opened along with the rest of the terminal. It held numerous events, exhibitions, and other attractions over the coming decades. During World War II , the terminal became heavily used by troops moving across the United States. Due to Grand Central's importance in civilian and military transit, many of
4884-474: The Dining Concourse, flanked by sets of stairs leading up to the balconies. The concourse was originally designed to have both sets of staircases, though a change in design led to only the west staircase having been built by the time the terminal opened. During the terminal's restoration in the 1990s, the east staircase was added. 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
4995-480: The MTA and New York's State Historic Preservation Office, the LED displays are brighter, easier to read, and ADA -compliant; they are also the first of the boards to offer real-time updates to train information. Commuter complaints about the new displays were published in the news, as had complaints over the three prior board replacements, in 1967, 1985, and 1996. There are also arrival and departure displays at each of
5106-414: The Main Concourse and the construction of Grand Central Tower . Vanderbilt Hall is an event space on the south side of the terminal, between the main entrance and the Main Concourse to its north. The rectangular room measures 65 by 205 feet (20 m × 62 m). The north and south walls are divided into five bays, each with large rectangular windows, screened with heavy bronze grills. The room
5217-479: The Main Concourse ceiling. Access to the lower-level tracks is provided by the Dining Concourse, located below the Main Concourse and connected to it by numerous stairs, ramps, and escalators. For decades, it was called the Suburban Concourse because it handled commuter rail trains. Today, it has central seating and lounge areas, surrounded by restaurants and food vendors. The shared public seating in
5328-463: The Main Concourse has made it an ideal advertising space. During World War II , a large mural with images of the United States military hung in the concourse, and from the 1950s to 1989, the Kodak Colorama exhibit was a prominent fixture. 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
5439-485: The Main Concourse's ball clock set to 7:13, or 19:13 using a 24-hour clock , referencing the terminal's completion in 1913. Both logos omit the word "terminal" in its name, in recognition to how most people refer to the building. The 18-sided main information booth is in the center of the concourse. Its attendants provide train schedules and other information to the public; in 2015, they fielded more than 1,000 questions an hour, according to an MTA spokesman. A door within
5550-622: The Main Concourse, then leave through various passages that branch from it. Among these are the north–south 42nd Street Passage and Shuttle Passage, which run south to 42nd Street; and three east–west passageways—the Grand Central Market, the Graybar Passage, and the Lexington Passage—that run about 240 feet (73 m) east to Lexington Avenue by 43rd Street. Several passages run north of the terminal, including
5661-476: The Main Concourse. The display, affectionately known as the Big Board, was replaced with more modern equipment several times (1985, 1996, and 2019). 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. In the late 1990s, a restoration project overhauled the terminal with a significant focus on
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#17327824647345772-522: The North End Access Project, the work was to be completed in 1997 at a cost of $ 64.5 million, but it was slowed by the incomplete nature of the building's original blueprints and by previously undiscovered groundwater beneath East 45th Street. During construction, MTA Arts & Design mosaics were installed; each work was part of As Above, So Below , by Brooklyn artist Ellen Driscoll . The passageways opened on August 18, 1999, at
5883-614: The Northwest Passage's walls have red ones. The ceilings are 8 to 10 feet (2.4 to 3.0 m) high; the cross-passages' ceilings are blue-green, the same color as the Main Concourse, and have recessed lights arranged to resemble the Main Concourse's constellations. The passages were to be heated in winter and ventilated. Originally, Grand Central North had no restrooms or air-conditioning. The entrances to Grand Central North were originally open from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. During weekends and holidays,
5994-463: The Service Men's Lounge, the space on the east balcony had pool and ping pong tables, a piano, lounge chairs, and lunch counters. The terminal was used for military funeral processions as well. In 1944 its ceiling proved to be damaged beyond repair, and was covered over with a false ceiling, replicating the artistry of the original work. In 1967, the first train departure display was installed in
6105-424: The astronomical inconsistencies were noticed promptly by a commuter in 1913, they have not been corrected in any of the subsequent renovations of the ceiling. There are half-moon clerestory windows on the north and south sides, with carvings by Salières, alternately depicting a globe adorned with Mercury's staff and a winged wheel that symbolizes the speed of the railway, adorned with lightning bolts to symbolize
6216-476: The clock faces were actually made of opal , a precious gem, and that renowned auction houses had estimated their worth at millions of dollars. This myth was spread by tour guides in the terminal, by its presentation as fact in Misplaced Pages from 2006 to 2013, and by major news publications into the present day. It was debunked by Untapped New York in 2020. The clock was first stopped for repairs in 1954, after it
6327-511: The concourse was designed resembling Pullman traincars . These areas are frequented by the homeless, and as a result, in the mid-2010s the MTA created two areas with private seating for dining customers. The terminal's late-1990s renovation added stands and restaurants to the concourse, and installed escalators to link it to the main concourse level. The MTA also spent $ 2.2 million to install two circular terrazzo designs by David Rockwell and Beyer Blinder Belle , each 45 feet in diameter, over
6438-483: The concourse's original terrazzo floor. Since 2015, part of the Dining Concourse has been closed for the construction of stairways and escalators to the new LIRR terminal being built as part of East Side Access . A small square-framed clock is installed in the ceiling near Tracks 108 and 109. It was manufactured at an unknown time by the Self Winding Clock Company , which made several others in
6549-410: The concourse, making it appear nearly like it did in 1913. The most major change was the addition of the east staircase, an element planned but never implemented until then. Since the renovation was completed in 1998, the concourse has been maintained to keep its original overall appearance. The building's purchase by the MTA in 2020 has ensured its well-kept state for the foreseeable future. The size of
6660-528: The concourse. The Main Concourse has also been used for memorials, including events to commemorate U.S. ambassador to France Myron T. Herrick and former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis after their deaths; celebrations for Martin Luther King Jr. Day ; and an impromptu memorial created after the September 11 attacks in 2001. Several celebrations have also taken place at the terminal, such as
6771-403: The concourse. The Main Concourse is usually filled with bustling crowds and is often used as a meeting place. Opened with the rest of the terminal in 1913, the Main Concourse held numerous events, exhibitions, and other attractions over the next decades. In World War II, its east balcony became a United Service Organizations canteen. In 1944, its ceiling proved to be damaged beyond repair, and
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#17327824647346882-422: The concourse. Before it was confirmed the darkening was caused by paint, Metro-North staff supported the theory that the darkening was from decades of dirt or pigeon droppings. The Main Concourse has balconies on its north, west, and east sides, overlooking the main floor. Its east and northeast balconies house an Apple Store . The southern end of the west balcony includes Cipriani Dolci, a restaurant and bar that
6993-423: The diagonally opposite corner. Grand Central North is a network of four tunnels that allow people to walk between the station building (which sits between 42nd and 44th Street) and exits at 45th, 46th, 47th, and 48th Street. The 1,000-foot (300 m) Northwest Passage and 1,200-foot (370 m) Northeast Passage run parallel to the tracks on the upper level, while two shorter cross-passages run perpendicular to
7104-525: The electric chandeliers in the Main Waiting Room and Main Concourse. These decorations were designed by Sylvain Salières. The overlapping letters "G", "C", and "T" are sculpted into multiple places in the Main Concourse and terminal, including in friezes atop several windows above the terminal's ticket office. The symbol was designed with the "T" resembling an upside-down anchor, intended as
7215-419: The entrance. The theater's interior had simple pine walls spaced out to eliminate echos, along with an inglenook , a fireplace, and an illuminated clock for the convenience of travelers. The walls of the lobby, dubbed the "appointment lounge", were covered with world maps; the ceiling had an astronomical mural painted by Sarg. The New York Times reported a cost of $ 125,000 for the theater's construction, which
7326-479: The first 54 years of the terminal's operation, train arrival and departure information was hand-chalked on a blackboard . The blackboard still hangs as a relic in its original place in the Biltmore Room, but in 1967, its function was supplanted by an electromechanical display in the main concourse over the ticket windows. This new display, dubbed a Solari board after its Italian manufacturer Solari di Udine , showed train information on rows of flip panels that made
7437-406: The floor is terrazzo . The ceiling is composed of seven groin vaults , each of which has an ornamental bronze chandelier. The first two vaults, as viewed from leaving Grand Central, are painted with cumulus clouds , while the third contains a 1927 mural by Edward Trumbull depicting American transportation. The middle passageway houses Grand Central Market, a cluster of food shops. The site
7548-458: The following routes: These MTA Regional Bus Operations buses stop near Grand Central: The terminal and its predecessors were designed for intercity service, which operated from the first station building's completion in 1871 until Amtrak ceased operations in the terminal in 1991. Through transfers, passengers could connect to all major lines in the United States, including the Canadian ,
7659-422: The full title is inscribed on its 42nd Street facade. According to 21st-century sources, it is designated a "terminal" because trains originate and terminate there. The CSX Corporation Railroad Dictionary also considers "terminals" as facilities "for the breaking up, making up, forwarding, and servicing of trains" or "where one or more rail yards exist". Grand Central Terminal serves some 67 million passengers
7770-534: The hall held the Great Northern Food Hall, an upscale Nordic-themed food court with five pavilions. The food hall was the first long-term tenant of the space; the terminal's landmark status prevents permanent installations. Since 1999, Vanderbilt Hall has hosted the annual Tournament of Champions squash championship. Each January, tournament officials construct a free-standing glass-enclosed 21-by-32-foot (6.4 by 9.8 m) squash court. Like
7881-401: The late 1990s, a restoration project overhauled the terminal, restoring the concourse nearly to its 1913 appearance. The biggest change was the addition of the east staircase, an element planned but never implemented until then. No major changes have been made since the overhaul finished in 1998. The Main Concourse, on the terminal's upper platform level, is located in the geographical center of
7992-434: The line's then-recent electrification. Both designs include laurel and oak branches. These windows were covered over with black paint for decades, until the first major renovation of the terminal in 1988. The reason for the painting over is not fully clear; while many modern sources attribute it to blackout paint to avoid Germans targeting the station during World War II, others have claimed it to be leftover from filming inside
8103-454: The marble and brass pagoda conceals a spiral staircase down to a similar booth on the station's Dining Concourse. The Main Concourse booth originally had a simple counter surrounding the enclosed staircase and clock, though by the end of 1914 the entire booth was enclosed with a glass roof, and eventually with window panels on its sides. The booth is topped by a four-faced brass clock, one of Grand Central's most recognizable icons. The clock
8214-574: The most famous photographs of the space shows light streaming from its clerestory windows down to the floor. The work is reproduced online through hundreds of different images, with variations in angles, cropping, flipping, filters, and watermarks, as well as the author and date attributed to the works. Photographer Penelope Umbrico collected a sample of such images in Four Photographs of Rays of Sunlight in Grand Central , on display in
8325-602: The north–south 45th Street Passage, which leads to 45th Street and Madison Avenue, and the network of tunnels in Grand Central North, which lead to exits at every street from 45th to 48th Street. Each of the east–west passageways runs through a different building. The northernmost is the Graybar Passage, built on the first floor of the Graybar Building in 1926. Its walls and seven large transverse arches are made of coursed ashlar travertine , and
8436-602: The platform gates, about 93 in total. Originally these were cloth curtains with train information stitched onto them, posted at the platform entrances. The signs were eventually replaced with flip panels, replaced again with the installation of the Omega Board in 1987, and supplanted again by LCD panels, which were replaced between 2017 and 2020. Natural light comes from large windows in the concourse's east and west walls. Each wall has three round-arched windows, about 60 feet (18 m) high, identical in size and shape to
8547-508: The platforms via 37 stairs, six elevators, and five escalators. The tunnels' street-level entrances, each enclosed by a freestanding glass structure, sit at the northeast corner of East 47th Street and Madison Avenue (Northwest Passage), the northeast corner of East 48th Street and Park Avenue (Northeast Passage), in the two pedestrian walkways underneath the Helmsley Building between 45th and 46th streets, and (since 2012) on
8658-574: 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. Through the 1980s, they were set to a master clock at a workshop in Grand Central. Since 2004, they have been set to the United States Naval Observatory 's atomic clock , accurate to a billionth of a second. The terminal's primary departure board is located on
8769-411: The restaurant, arranged for Warren and Wetmore along with 100 guests. The restaurant was operated by The Union News Company. It closed briefly for renovations following a 1997 fire. Jerome Brody sold the Oyster Bar to employees in 1999, and died in 2001. Brody chose to sell to staff to preserve the union and employee satisfaction in his transition. As of 2017, all non-union, managerial staff are part of
8880-489: The retail areas of the Graybar Passage, currently occupied by wine-and-liquor store Central Cellars, was formerly the Grand Central Theatre or Terminal Newsreel Theatre. Opened in 1937 with 25-cent admission, the theater showed short films, cartoons, and newsreels from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Designed by Tony Sarg , it had 242 stadium-style seats and a standing-room section with armchairs. A small bar sat near
8991-527: The room was damaged during the construction that converted the Biltmore Hotel into the Bank of America Plaza. In 1985, Giorgio Cavaglieri was hired to restore the room, which at the time had cracked marble and makeshift lighting. During that era, a series of lockers was still located within the Biltmore Room. Later, the room held a newsstand, flower stand, and shoe shine booths. In 2015, the MTA awarded
9102-400: The saying "Great oaks from little acorns grow" as the family motto. Among these decorations is a brass acorn finial atop the four-sided clock in the center of the Main Concourse. Other acorn or oak leaf decorations include carved wreaths under the Main Concourse's west stairs; sculptures above the lunettes in the concourse; metalwork above the elevators; reliefs above the train gates; and
9213-544: The site. It has "always been more colloquially and affectionately known as Grand Central Station", the name of its immediate predecessor that operated from 1900 to 1910. The name "Grand Central Station" is also shared with the nearby U.S. Post Office station at 450 Lexington Avenue and, colloquially, with the Grand Central–42nd Street subway station next to the terminal. The station has been named "Grand Central Terminal" since before its completion in 1913;
9324-456: The south side of 47th Street between Park and Lexington avenues. Pedestrians can also take an elevator to the 47th Street passage from the north side of East 47th Street, between Madison and Vanderbilt avenues; this entrance adjoined the former 270 Park Avenue . Proposals for these tunnels had been discussed since at least the 1970s. The MTA approved preliminary plans in 1983, gave final approval in 1991, and began construction in 1994. Dubbed
9435-415: The south side of the concourse, installed directly atop the two sets of ticket windows. Colloquially known as the "Big Board", it shows the track and status of arriving and departing trains. 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. For
9546-431: The south side of the room, on the east and west of the entryway from Vanderbilt Hall. Many have been closed or repurposed since the introduction of ticket vending machines. 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. A skylight was originally supposed to be installed to provide light into the terminal, and accommodations were made for
9657-422: The station building. The cavernous concourse measures 275 ft (84 m) long by 120 ft (37 m) wide by 125 ft (38 m) high; a total of about 35,000 square feet (3,300 m ). Its vastness was meant to evoke the terminal's "grand" status. The Main Concourse was deliberately placed at the same level as the mezzanine of the New York City Subway 's Grand Central–42nd Street station ; at
9768-403: The terminal's Dining Concourse. The Main Concourse inspired multiple works of architecture and art. These include the nearby Biltmore Hotel (designed by Warren & Wetmore and built in 1913), which held a palm court modeled after the Main Concourse. The building was gutted by developers in 1981, and although preservationists managed to secure an agreement to approximately re-create the space,
9879-482: The terminal's opening, still operate and are cleaned daily, though they are rarely used. The concourse's large American flag was installed there a few days after the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center . 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. The four towers each contain
9990-500: The terminal's windows were covered with blackout paint , which would prevent aerial bombers from easily detecting the building. 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 mural, which had a montage of photographs, was part of a campaign to sell war bonds , and its unveiling
10101-427: The terminal. The clock hung inside the gate at Track 19 until 2011, when it was moved so it would not be blocked by lights added during upper-level platform improvements. Metro-North's lost-and-found bureau sits near Track 100 at the far east end of the Dining Concourse. Incoming items are sorted according to function and date: for instance, there are separate bins for hats, gloves, belts, and ties. The sorting system
10212-436: The three on the terminal's south facade. The design was inspired by the Palais Garnier in Paris. Catwalks, used mostly for maintenance, run across the east and west windows. Their floors are made of semi-transparent rock crystal , cut two inches (51 mm) thick. These windows were designed to open, allowing cross-breezes through the terminal, though they have not been opened in decades. Two sets of ticket offices span
10323-688: The three, the Lexington Passage, was originally known as the Commodore Passage after the Commodore Hotel , which it ran through. When the hotel was renamed the Grand Hyatt, the passage was likewise renamed. The passage acquired its current name during the terminal's renovation in the 1990s. The Shuttle Passage, on the west side of the terminal, connects the Main Concourse to Grand Central's subway station. The terminal
10434-487: The time of the terminal's construction, 80 percent of passengers transferred to and from the subway. The remainder of Grand Central Terminal was then designed around the floor level of the Main Concourse. Many parts of the Main Concourse and rest of the terminal are adorned with sculpted oak leaves and acorns, nuts of the oak tree. Cornelius Vanderbilt chose the acorn as the symbol of the Vanderbilt family , and adopted
10545-408: The tracks. The 47th Street cross-passage runs between the upper and lower tracks, 30 feet (9.1 m) below street level; it provides access to upper-level tracks. The 45th Street cross-passage runs under the lower tracks, 50 feet (15 m) below street level. Converted from a corridor built to transport luggage and mail, it provides access to lower-level tracks. The cross-passages are connected to
10656-441: The west and east ends of the concourse, on either side of the west and east sets of stairs. These passageways lie underneath the east and west balconies, with shops and ticket machines along the walls, and lead to additional passageways that largely make up the station interior. Two nearly-identical sets of staircases are placed on either side of the concourse space. The east and west sets each have central stairwells leading down to
10767-489: The world. Its platforms, all below ground, serve 30 tracks on the upper level and 26 on the lower. In total, there are 67 tracks, including a rail yard and sidings ; of these, 43 tracks are in use for passenger service, while the remaining two dozen are used to store trains. Grand Central Terminal was named by and for the New York Central Railroad , which built the station and its two predecessors on
10878-503: Was a nationally broadcast event that also drew 3,000 people on-site. In 1943, this mural was replaced by another, 75 by 30 feet (22.9 m × 9.1 m), also installed over the east wall. A large flag also hung in the Main Concourse honoring the 21,314 New York Central Railroad employees that participated in the war. The terminal also hosted a canteen operated by the United Service Organizations . Known as
10989-490: Was among the most famous trains of its time. From 1971 to 1991, all Amtrak trains using the intrastate Empire Corridor to Niagara Falls terminated at Grand Central; interstate Northeast Corridor trains used Penn Station. Notable Amtrak services at Grand Central included the Lake Shore , Empire Service , Adirondack , Niagara Rainbow , Maple Leaf , and Empire State Express . Grand Central Terminal
11100-466: Was attributed to construction of an elevator between the theater and the suburban concourse as well as air conditioning and apparatuses for people hard of hearing. The theater stopped showing newsreels by 1968 but continued operating until around 1979, when it was gutted for retail space. A renovation in the early 2000s removed a false ceiling, revealing the theater's projection window and its astronomical mural, which proved similar in colors and style to
11211-412: Was boarded up in preparation for its restoration in 1991. During the process, a temporary waiting room was established on an upper level of the terminal. Around 1998, the renovated hall was renamed in honor of the Vanderbilt family , which built and owned the station. It is used for the annual Christmas Market, as well as for special exhibitions and private events. From 2016 to 2020, the west half of
11322-607: Was built by and named for the New York Central Railroad ; it also served the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad and, later, successors to the New York Central. Opened in 1913, the terminal was built on the site of two similarly named predecessor stations, the first of which dated to 1871. Grand Central Terminal served intercity trains until 1991, when Amtrak began routing its trains through nearby Penn Station . Grand Central covers 48 acres (19 ha) and has 44 platforms , more than any other railroad station in
11433-415: Was computerized in the 1990s. Lost items are kept for up to 90 days before being donated or auctioned off. As early as 1920, the bureau received between 15,000 and 18,000 items a year. By 2002, the bureau was collecting "3,000 coats and jackets; 2,500 cellphones; 2,000 sets of keys; 1,500 wallets, purses and ID's [ sic ]; and 1,100 umbrellas" a year. By 2007, it was collecting 20,000 items
11544-472: Was covered over with a false ceiling, replicating the artistry of the original work. In 1967, the first train departure display was installed in the Main Concourse. The display, affectionately known as the Big Board, was replaced with more modern equipment several times (in 1985, 1996, and 2019). In the mid-20th century, the room started to deteriorate, its windows were darkened, advertisements were installed on its walls, and bank kiosks were placed on its floor. In
11655-477: Was designed and built with two main levels for passengers: an upper for intercity trains and a lower for commuter trains. This configuration, devised by New York Central vice president William J. Wilgus , separated intercity and commuter-rail passengers, smoothing the flow of people in and through the station. The original plan for Grand Central's interior was designed by Reed and Stem , with some work by Whitney Warren of Warren and Wetmore . The Main Concourse
11766-567: Was designed by Henry Edward Bedford and cast in Waterbury, Connecticut . Its mechanism was designed by the Self Winding Clock Company and built by the Seth Thomas Clock Company , along with several other clocks in the terminal. Each 24-inch (61 cm) face is made from opalescent glass, now often called opal glass or milk glass . An urban legend, which arose in news reports in the 1990s or even earlier, claimed that
11877-507: Was found to be losing a minute or two per day. One of the four original clock faces was damaged in 1968 by a police officer's bullet, while he chased members of the Youth International Party who staged a protest inside the terminal. The cracked face was removed in the 1990s during the terminal's restoration. It was replaced with a replica; the original is now part of the New York Transit Museum collection. Along with
11988-637: Was once the office of 1920s tycoon John W. Campbell , who decorated it to resemble the galleried hall of a 13th-century Florentine palace. In 1999, it opened as a bar, the Campbell Apartment; a new owner renovated and renamed it the Campbell in 2017. Main Concourse The Main Concourse is the primary concourse of Grand Central Terminal , a railway station in Midtown Manhattan , New York City . The space
12099-445: Was originally a segment of 43rd Street which became the terminal's first service dock in 1913. In 1975, a Greenwich Savings Bank branch was built in the space, which was converted into the marketplace in 1998, and involved installing a new limestone façade on the building. The building's second story, whose balcony overlooks the market and 43rd Street, was to house a restaurant, but is instead used for storage. The southernmost of
12210-654: Was originally configured with two parallel passages, later simplified into one wide passageway. Ramps include the Vanderbilt Avenue ramp and the Oyster Bar ramps. The Vanderbilt Avenue or Kitty Kelly ramp leads from the corner of Vanderbilt Avenue and 42nd Street down into the Shuttle Passage. Most of the space above the ramp was built upon in the 20th century, becoming the Kitty Kelly women's shoe store, and later operating as Federal Express. The ramp
12321-552: Was returned to its original two-story volume during the terminal's 1998 restoration. The Oyster Bar ramps lead down from the Main Concourse to the Oyster Bar and Dining Concourse. They span a total of 302 ft (92 m) from east to west under an 84 ft (26 m) ceiling. A pedestrian bridge passes over the ramps, connecting Vanderbilt Hall and the Main Concourse. In 1927, the ramps were partially covered over by expanded main-floor ticket offices; these were removed in
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