145-613: The Helmsley Building is a 35-story skyscraper at 230 Park Avenue between East 45th and 46th Streets, just north of Grand Central Terminal , in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City . It was built in 1929 as the New York Central Building and was designed by Warren & Wetmore in the Beaux-Arts style . The building has been described as the last major project built as part of
290-522: 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
435-546: A boss for the American Mafia , had an office on the ninth floor, where he worked for the Eagle Building Corporation. On September 10, 1931, he was killed by hitmen sent by Lucky Luciano and Vito Genovese , ambitious underlings whom Maranzano had hired Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll to kill. The New York Central Building's windows were blacked out as a safety measure during World War II . During
580-477: 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
725-556: 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 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"
870-446: 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
1015-583: A 2010 renovation, the Helmsley Building became the first building erected prior to World War II to receive a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification for green buildings . Monday Properties and Invesco paid $ 740 million for the building in 2011. The Helmsley Building was sold once again in May 2015 to property firm RXR Realty for $ 1.2 billion. RXR spent $ 190 million renovating
1160-514: A 33.5-year mortgage . The sale was finalized early the next year. The major ownership stake was sold to Harry Helmsley's company Helmsley-Spear Management in 1977. After Helmsley's purchase, both the exterior and interior of the New York General Building were restored. The green rusted-copper roof, which suffered from leaks, was gilded and waterproofed. The facade was also extensively cleaned. The clock and other ornaments on
1305-649: 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
1450-582: A book published in 1932, W. Parker Chase called the Helmsley Building "the most remarkable office building in the world", saying that the construction of the George Washington Bridge —then the world's longest suspension bridge—was about as complex as the Helmsley Building's construction. Later reviews were more positive. Nathan Silver wrote in his 1967 book Lost New York : "With its outline and decoration, [the Helmsley Building]
1595-443: A capacity of up to 100 watts. The cupola had oval openings and was topped by a glass ball with a 6,000 watt lantern. Eight projectors, one from each corner of the octagon's base, also illuminated the roof. The lighting made the Helmsley Building into a point of interest that could be seen from several miles away. When the Helmsley Building was completed, the copper roof was gilded, but by the late 1950s had been painted green. The gilding
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#17327728337521740-449: A continuation of those on Fourth Avenue; for example, 225 Park Avenue South was originally known as 225 Fourth Avenue. Above 32nd Street, for the remainder of its distance, it is known as Park Avenue, a 140-foot-wide (43 m) boulevard. The address numbers for Park Avenue are reset above 32nd Street; for example, the address 1 Park Avenue would ordinarily have been numbered 461 Fourth Avenue. Between 33rd Street and 40th Street ,
1885-568: 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
2030-530: 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
2175-496: A floor plan shaped like an irregular "H" aligned west–east. The western wings project further than the eastern wings, and the center of the northern facade curves slightly inward. The 20-story tower has a floor plan measuring 143.5 by 123 feet (43.7 by 37.5 m). It terminates in a pyramidal roof with an octagonal base. The facade of the four-story base is composed of limestone and Texas pink granite. It includes bronze grilles as well as sculptures depicting industrial progress. There
2320-567: A food hall called Urban Space opened in 12,000 square feet (1,100 m) within the Helmsley Building in 2014. Its tenants have been cited as a notable example of the decreased tax burden on the wealthy. Internal Revenue Service ZIP Code records in 2007 revealed that while the average tax filer in the Helmsley Building had an adjusted gross income of $ 1.2 million, they paid only a 14.7% effective tax rate . Meanwhile, an average New York City janitor had an AGI of $ 33,000 and paid an effective tax rate of 24.9%. Early critics had mixed reviews of
2465-580: A gas explosion . Eight people were killed and many others were injured. In 2019, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority provided funding for repairs to the roof of the Grand Central Terminal train shed. The train shed is located under Park Avenue and surrounding streets from 43rd to 57th Street, and the repairs to the train shed's roof involved reconstructing parts of Park Avenue. In August 2024,
2610-467: 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
2755-634: 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
2900-576: 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
3045-402: 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
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#17327728337523190-415: Is a clock atop the base, located 64 feet (20 m) above the ground with a diameter of 9 feet (2.7 m). The clock is flanked by a figure of the god Mercury on the left, representing transportation, and a figure of the goddess Ceres on the right, representing agriculture. The composition measures 19 feet (5.8 m) tall by 45 feet (14 m) wide and was designed by Edward McCartan . The windows on
3335-479: Is a wonderful railroad terminal, but also a great civic centre." Most of these buildings were designed by Warren & Wetmore, which had also designed the terminal itself. Following Grand Central Terminal's completion, one of the first plans for development on the Helmsley Building's current site took place in 1914, when the Winter Sports Club secured an option from New York Central to build property on
3480-546: 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 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,
3625-593: 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; 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
3770-426: 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
3915-741: Is continued on the other side of the river in the Bronx . In the Bronx, Park Avenue begins at East 135th Street in the Mott Haven neighborhood. The entire avenue is divided by Metro-North's own right of way in the borough. Between East 135th Street to East 173rd Street, Park Avenue is one way only in either direction in most sections. North of East 173rd Street it is a two way avenue continuing to Fordham Plaza where it ends. The following institutions are either headquartered or have significant business presences on Park Avenue: In north-south order: Metro-North Railroad 's Grand Central Terminal , serving
4060-482: Is handsome, but the top explodes like a Caribbean coral formation." A partner at Kohn Pederson Fox said in 1984 that the gilding of the Helmsley Building "is rather excessive, and not architecturally appropriate". The author Dirk Stichweh said the Helmsley Building remained "a striking landmark on the New York skyline". The building's clock also received critical attention. Architecture critic Royal Cortissoz called
4205-401: 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
4350-429: Is located at the northern end of the road. Explanatory notes Citations Further reading Grand Central Terminal#Grand Central North 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
4495-469: 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
Helmsley Building - Misplaced Pages Continue
4640-404: 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,
4785-417: 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 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
4930-705: Is sometimes credited to Harry Helmsley , a later owner of the building; he said that the change had been made for cost-saving reasons. New York Central had merged with the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1968 to form the Penn Central Railroad. That same year, the New York Central Building was sold to the General Tire & Rubber Company . After Penn Central went bankrupt in 1970, it sought to sell its properties. By
5075-675: Is the southern terminus of 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
5220-736: 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
5365-410: The 6 and <6> trains, while the 14th Street-Union Square station is served by the 4 , 5 , 6 , <6> , L , N , Q , R , and W trains. The following bus routes serve Park Avenue: No buses run along Park Avenue in the Bronx, although Fordham Plaza Bus Terminal
5510-538: 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
5655-707: The Chrysler Building and other prestigious office buildings; luxury apartment houses along Park Avenue; and an array of high-end hotels that included the Marguery , Park Lane, and Waldorf Astoria . In 1929, New York Central built its headquarters in a 34-story building (now called the Helmsley Building ), straddling Park Avenue north of the terminal. The Park Avenue Viaduct reroutes Park Avenue around Grand Central Terminal between 40th and 46th Streets, allowing Park Avenue traffic to traverse around
5800-505: The Commissioners' Plan of 1811 . From 14th Street to 17th Street , it forms the eastern boundary of Union Square and is known as Union Square East ; its southbound lanes merge with Broadway south of 15th Street, and the thoroughfare divides into two distinct portions in the one-block section between 14th and 15th Streets. From 17th Street to 32nd Street , it is known as Park Avenue South . Address numbers on Park Avenue South are
5945-782: The Harlem Line , Hudson Line , and New Haven Line , is at 42nd Street and Park Avenue. The MNR's Park Avenue main line runs along Park Avenue in both boroughs between Grand Central and Fordham station , with stations in between at 125th Street , 162nd Street , and Tremont Avenue . The New York City Subway 's adjacent Grand Central–42nd Street station serves the 4 , 5 , 6 , <6> , 7 , <7> , and S trains. The IRT Lexington Avenue Line additionally runs under Park Avenue and its extensions from 41st to 8th Streets. The 33rd Street , 28th Street , 23rd Street , and Astor Place stations are served by
Helmsley Building - Misplaced Pages Continue
6090-627: The Helmsley Building (also referred to as the New York Central Building or 230 Park Avenue). The IRT Lexington Avenue Line runs under this portion of the street. Once the line reaches Grand Central–42nd Street , it shifts east to Lexington Avenue . As Park Avenue enters Midtown north of Grand Central Terminal, it is distinguished by many glass-box skyscrapers that serve as headquarters for corporations and investment banks such as Société Générale , JPMorgan Chase at 270 Park Avenue and 277 Park Avenue , UBS at 299 Park Avenue , Citigroup at 399 Park Avenue , Colgate-Palmolive , and MetLife at
6235-531: The Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City . It is bounded by 45th Street to the south, Vanderbilt Avenue to the west, 46th Street to the north, and Depew Place to the east. Its address is 230 Park Avenue. The building is assigned its own ZIP Code , 10169; it was one of 41 buildings in Manhattan that had their own ZIP Codes as of 2019. The Helmsley Building measures 200 feet (61 m) north-south and 344 feet (105 m) west-east. Immediately to
6380-598: The New York City Subway at Grand Central–42nd Street station . The terminal 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
6525-535: The Terminal City complex around Grand Central. The facade of the four-story base is composed of limestone and Texas pink granite, while the upper stories are clad with brick. The top of the Helmsley Building is a pyramid with an ornate cupola . The Helmsley Building carries vehicular traffic through its base: traffic exits and enters the Park Avenue Viaduct through two portals passing under
6670-596: The 1950s, New York Central undertook a multi-million-dollar restoration of the building, and in 1958, put the building up for lease. That year, Irving Brodsky of the New York Bank for Savings assumed a 50-year leasehold and renamed it the New York General Building . Upon the New York Central's Building's renaming, the letters "C" and "T" on the facade's new york central building plaque were chiseled into "G" and "E", respectively. The renaming
6815-421: 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
6960-548: The 19th century, the New York Central Railroad lines north of Grand Central Depot in Midtown Manhattan were served exclusively by steam locomotives , and the rising traffic soon caused accumulations of smoke and soot in the Park Avenue Tunnel , the only approach to the depot. After a fatal crash in 1902, the New York state legislature passed a law to ban all steam trains in Manhattan by 1908. New York Central's vice president William J. Wilgus proposed electrifying
7105-411: The 33rd floor windows; and an observation deck on the 33rd floor. The last full floor, the 34th floor, has three pairs of windows on all sides, protruding from the roof as dormers . The top of the Helmsley Building is a pyramid with an ornate cupola . The roof was lit at night by electric floodlights and torches with up to 100,000 candlepower. At the pinnacle were "32-marine-type fixtures" that each had
7250-536: 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
7395-793: 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 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
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#17327728337527540-601: The Hudson River Railroad's move to Grand Central. In 1872, shortly after the opening of Grand Central Depot, New York Central owner Cornelius Vanderbilt proposed the Fourth Avenue Improvement Project. The tracks between 48th and 56th Streets were to be moved into a shallow open cut , while the segment between 56th and 97th Streets, which was in a rock cut, would be covered over. After the improvements were completed in 1874,
7685-414: 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
7830-479: 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
7975-622: 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
8120-610: The MetLife Building. From 47th to 97th Streets, the tracks for Metro-North Railroad 's Park Avenue main line run in the Park Avenue Tunnel underneath Park Avenue. At 97th Street, the tracks come above ground, rising onto the other Manhattan structure known as the Park Avenue Viaduct. The first street to pass under the viaduct is 102nd Street; from there to the Harlem River the railroad viaduct runs down
8265-522: 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
8410-614: 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,
8555-407: The Park Avenue Viaduct. The western ramp carries southbound traffic and the eastern ramp carries northbound traffic. The building's lobby is between the two ramps, while pedestrian arcades run to the outside of either ramp; the arcades connect 45th and 46th Streets. The arcades contain storefronts on the sides facing away from the viaduct's ramps: the west side of the western arcade and the east side of
8700-580: The address numbers of Park Avenue South continued from those on the remaining section of Fourth Avenue. The Pan Am Building (now MetLife Building), in between the Park Avenue Viaduct's legs north of Grand Central Terminal, was opened in 1963. In September 2007, the Metro-North Railroad reached an agreement with the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) to install pedestrian traffic signals along Park Avenue between 46th Street and 56th Street. The two sides had feuded over
8845-457: The arcades were removed, and the mezzanine floors in the arcades were demolished to double the ceiling height. Light shafts, TV screens, and bronze storefronts were installed as well. The gilding was removed during the renovation as well. In 2002, the owners stopped lighting certain rooms inside the Helmsley Building during nights in December. When the room-lighting had occurred in previous years,
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#17327728337528990-546: The base contain one of four types of display-window designs: the original designs installed with the rest of the building in 1929, and one of three modifications. The pedimental sculptures were carved by the Ardolino Brothers. The upper stories are faced with brick. The northern facade of the fifth through 15th stories curve along the wings. The facade of this section contains paired sash windows with decorative metal spandrels , as well as limestone keystones above
9135-452: 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 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
9280-432: The bridge was demolished in 1982. The 16th through 35th-story facades contain identical decorative elements on all sides. Like the lower stories, these are faced with brick and contain paired sash windows. Above the 28th floor are limestone keystones over the windows, as well as a cornice with brackets . There is an ornate entablature above the 31st floor; keystones above the 32nd-floor windows; bracketed keystones above
9425-458: The building and over 42nd Street without encumbering nearby streets. The western (now southbound) leg of the viaduct was completed in 1919, but congestion developed soon after the viaduct's opening, so an eastern leg for northbound traffic was added in 1928. The developer Henry Mandel acquired the lots on the eastern side of Fourth Avenue between 32nd and 33rd Street in 1923 under the name "One Park Avenue Corporation". To ensure his corporate name
9570-536: The building was appraised at $ 770 million, a 40% decrease from its $ 1.3 billion valuation in 2021. As of 2020, tenants at the Helmsley Building include 5W Public Relations (5WPR) , Cornell University , Comerica Bank , Elsevier , Encyclopædia Britannica , HSH Nordbank AG , LexisNexis , the New York Court of Appeals , Novartis , Powermat , Simon Property Group , Six Flags , Stanley Hand Tools , Tokio Marine Management , and Voya Financial . In addition,
9715-591: The building's landmarked elevators required an artist to repaint the elevators' ceiling frescoes by hand. A connection from the Grand Central North passageways to the building's pedestrian arcades was announced in 1994 and opened in 1999. After Harry Helmsley died in early 1996, Leona transferred the building's management to the Helmsley-Noyes Company. Leona Helmsley maintained her offices in the Helmsley Building. The Helmsley Building
9860-465: The building. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the Helmsley Building and its first-floor interior as official city landmarks in 1987. The first-floor interior designation included the lobby, seven of the eight elevator banks, and the entrance vestibules. The New York Times reported in 2011 that the building's interior landmark designation was difficult to maintain. The lobbies had to be cleaned every month, and restoration of
10005-541: The building. George Shepard Chappell , writing for The New Yorker in 1928 and 1929, called it "a dramatic stop sign at the end of the thoroughfare", and described the lobby's styles as ranging "from Pullman to Paramount". Harry F. Cunningham reviewed the building much more harshly in a 1928 issue of The American Yearbook , calling the building "one of the greatest steps in the present backward tendency shown in American architecture" for its rejection of modernist styles In
10150-404: The building. Flanking the viaduct's ramps are passageways connecting 45th and 46th Streets, with entrances to Grand Central Terminal. The lobby of the building is between the vehicular portals and contains bronze and marble detailing. The Helmsley Building has 1.4 million square feet (130,000 m) of office space. Before the construction of Grand Central Terminal , the area to the north of
10295-405: The building. The plan also included provisions for the extension of Park Avenue's sidewalks from 46th to 45th Streets through the building. New York Central was responsible for all of the component projects of construction, including the viaduct ramps and the pedestrian walkways, while the city government provided support. The collaboration was described by The New York Times as "a fine example of
10440-562: The city government began soliciting bids for the reconstruction of Park Avenue's median between 46th and 57th Streets. The project was to include additional plantings, benches, and concessions. The road that becomes Park Avenue originates at the Bowery . From Cooper Square at 8th Street to Union Square at 14th Street , it is known as Fourth Avenue , a 70-foot-wide (21 m) road carrying northbound traffic. At 14th Street, it turns slightly northeast to align with other avenues drawn up in
10585-480: The clock "one of the most conspicuous sculptural decorations ever erected in the city". The New York Daily News editorial team expressed disappointment that the clock was not more prominent and that there was no clock tower. Park Avenue (Manhattan) Park Avenue is a boulevard in New York City that carries north and southbound traffic in the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx . For most of
10730-511: 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
10875-483: 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
11020-618: The detailing of the bronze , where the railroad's initials are repeated many times. A vestibule leads from 46th Street and contains multi-pane windows, bronze doors, a chandelier, and a pair of flanking vestibules with small storefronts. Another nearly-identical but smaller vestibule on the southern end, near 45th Street, leads to the western walkway. The lobby contains bronze chandeliers and an elaborate cornice with brackets and friezes. There are thirty-two elevators, grouped in eight banks of four, labeled "A" through "H". The elevator banks are double-height arched vestibules, with marble frames around
11165-629: The developers of that building sued to reverse the appellate ruling. The New York Court of Appeals , the state's highest court, reversed the appellate ruling in February 1928. Bacon contemplated bringing up the matter with the United States Supreme Court , but she ultimately relented, changing her address to "Park Avenue at 34th" by 1930. In 1927, the medians on Park Avenue north of Grand Central were trimmed to add one lane of traffic in each direction. This project eliminated
11310-423: 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
11455-416: The east side of Park Avenue between 45th and 46th Streets. The development of Terminal City had included the construction of the Park Avenue Viaduct , surrounding Grand Central Terminal. The first part of the viaduct had opened in 1919, carrying traffic from Park Avenue and 40th Street to Vanderbilt Avenue and 45th Street. Initially, only the western leg of the present-day viaduct was open to traffic, and there
11600-414: The eastern arcade. The arcades are connected to Grand Central North , a system of passageways that lead to Grand Central, which opened in 1999. The eastern and western wings are each 15 stories tall, while a centrally positioned tower rises another 20 stories. The lowest four stories comprise the base, which include the lobbies and the viaduct ramps. The eleven stories above it comprise an office block with
11745-557: The elevator openings, as well as bronze-ornamented elevator indicators. The elevators contain elaborately decorated bronze doors painted "Chinese red", with the railroad's initials. The bronze reliefs above the elevator doors contain winged helmets flanking a globe, a symbol of global influence. The elevator cab interiors contain Chinese red walls with wood moldings, as well as ceilings with gift domes and painted cloudscapes . The elevator banks and cabs are similar, with minor variations. In
11890-476: The eleven intersections and the renovation of the sidewalks and streets around Grand Central to prevent rainwater from seeping into the tunnel. Car traffic in this area had been controlled by traffic lights on a pole at each intersection in the middle of the median, instead of the usual four from each direction, resulting in a relatively high rate of pedestrian injuries. Additional traffic lights and pedestrian signals had not been added because this area of Park Avenue
12035-419: 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
12180-500: The facade and bathrooms. Many tenants left during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City , and 20 percent of the space was vacant by 2021. A special servicer took over a $ 670 million commercial mortgage-backed security loan on the building in November 2023, prompting concerns that the building's owners could default on the loan. RXR considered converting the Helmsley Building to residential apartments in mid-2024 after defaulting on
12325-514: The facade were also gilded, floodlights were activated at the top and bottom, and the letters helmsley building were installed on the facade. The building became known as the Helmsley Building in December 1978, following the refurbishment project's completion. According to Harry Helmsley, the renaming was suggested by his wife Leona . Despite the name, the Helmsleys were only one of several stakeholders in 230 Park Avenue Associates, which owned
12470-414: 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 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
12615-406: 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
12760-458: 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 ,
12905-402: The foundation. There are two levels of tracks underneath the building. Due to the different track layouts on each level, the columns on each level were offset, preventing through-columns from being built. Furthermore, the tracks were electrified and more than 700 trains passed through each day. As a solution, girders were installed above the lower track level, and the steel frame for the building
13050-501: The ground level by November 1927. The building topped out on April 5, 1928, though Chauncey Depew , the chairman of the railroad's board of directors, had died several hours before the topping-out ceremony. The New York Central Building received a temporary occupancy certificate in December 1928, and its roof was first lit in January 1929. However, the building was not considered completed until September 25, 1929, when all construction
13195-534: 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
13340-601: The issue since 1982, when Penn Central controlled the Park Avenue Tunnel. In 1997, the NYCDOT commissioner stated that signals would be installed during an upcoming phase of reconstruction in the Grand Central area. The $ 35 million project, whose cost was split between Metro-North and the city, was approved by the MTA Board later that month. It called for the installation of 12 pedestrian signals and 8 traffic signals at
13485-474: The last major structure to be built within Terminal City. It was renamed the New York General Building in 1958 and the Helmsley Building in 1978, though ownership was changed several times afterward. The building's facade and lobby became New York City designated landmarks in 1987. RXR Realty has owned the building since 2015. The Helmsley Building straddles the ramps of the Park Avenue Viaduct in
13630-667: The leftmost northbound lane descends into the Murray Hill Tunnel . North of 40th Street, the center lanes of Park Avenue rise onto an elevated structure that goes around Grand Central Terminal and the MetLife Building (formerly the Pan Am Building), carrying each direction of traffic on opposite sides of the buildings. The bridge, one of two structures in Manhattan known as the Park Avenue Viaduct , returns to ground level at 46th Street after going through
13775-420: The line and building a new electric-train terminal underground, a plan that was implemented almost in its entirety. The old Grand Central Depot was torn down in phases and replaced by the current Grand Central Terminal. Construction on Grand Central Terminal started on June 19, 1903, and the new terminal was opened on February 2, 1913. Passenger traffic on the commuter lines into Grand Central more than doubled in
13920-435: The loan. Despite its central location, the Helmsley Building was only 70% occupied at the time, and office space there cost as little as $ 50 per square foot ($ 540/m), half the rate at similar buildings nearby. Furthermore, over half the building's rental income came from tenants whose leases expired by 2026. The real-estate management firm SL Green was named as the building's special servicer in September 2024. By that November,
14065-500: The median and lit up on the first Sunday in December at Brick Presbyterian Church . On May 5, 1959, the New York City Council voted 20–1 to change the name of Fourth Avenue between 17th and 32nd Streets to Park Avenue South. The renaming, along with a ban on overhanging signs along the newly renamed Park Avenue South, was intended to improve the character of the avenue. Unlike with the earlier renamings of Park Avenue,
14210-546: The middle of Park Avenue. Park Avenue in Manhattan ends north of 132nd Street, with connections to the Harlem River Drive . The flowers and greenery in the median of Manhattan's Park Avenue are privately maintained, by the Fund for Park Avenue. The begonia was specifically chosen by the Fund's gardeners because there is no automatic watering system and the floral variety is resilient under hot sun rays. The avenue
14355-460: The most expensive real estate in the world. Real estate at 740 Park Avenue , for example, sells for several thousand dollars per square foot. In October 1937, a part of the Murray Hill Tunnel was reopened for road traffic. Efforts to promote a Grand Park Avenue Expressway to Grand Concourse in the Bronx were unsuccessful. A tradition was introduced in 1945 as a memorial to American soldiers killed in action, whereby Christmas trees are placed in
14500-533: The name change, but Mayor John Hylan vetoed the move in April 1925. This prompted Bacon to appeal the decision to the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division , which overturned Hylan's veto in November 1927, on the basis that the extension of Park Avenue to 32nd Street had been made for the benefit of a developer. Mandel's development at 32nd Street was thus known as 461–477 Fourth Avenue, and
14645-415: The new building over Park Avenue. The project to complete the Park Avenue Viaduct proceeded after the proposal was certified by Charles L. Craig , the city controller , in 1925. The final plan for the New York Central Building above Park Avenue was not completed until February 1927. As part of the plan, the viaduct's roadways would cross over 45th Street without intersection, descending to ground level within
14790-510: The next year, Penn Central trustees had signed contracts to sell the New York General Building. The proceedings were delayed for several years, as federal judge John P. Fullam refused to approve the sale of the New York General Building, while approving four of Penn Central's other sales. In December 1975, the trustees petitioned Fullam to sell the building to the New York Bank for Savings for $ 7 million in cash and $ 19 million in
14935-604: The northeast corner of Park Avenue and 34th Street. The Harlem Railroad was later incorporated into the New York Central Railroad , and a terminal for the New York Central at 42nd Street, the Grand Central Depot , opened in 1871. But the tracks laid to the new terminal proved problematic. There were originally no grade-separated crossings of the railroads between 42nd and 59th Streets. As such, they required railroad crossings along Fourth Avenue, which resulted in frequent accidents; seven people died within 12 days of
15080-531: 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
15225-402: The pedestrian path on the medians, as they became much narrower. The median was extended by one block from 96th Street to 97th Street in 1941, creating the only remaining median on Park Avenue with a pedestrian path and seating. In the 1920s the portion of Park Avenue from Grand Central to 96th Street saw extensive apartment building construction. This long stretch of the avenue contains some of
15370-441: 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
15515-404: The predecessor Grand Central Depot was occupied by an open-air rail yard; the tracks and depot were operated by the New York Central Railroad . After the terminal was completed in 1913, the tracks were buried under a series of buildings that were constructed over the tracks as part of the Terminal City development. The New York Central Building was erected for the railroad between 1927 and 1929 as
15660-670: The president's and chairman's suites. The Railway Express Agency moved all its departments into one floor of the New York Central Building in April 1930. There were other railroad-related tenants such as equipment manufacturer Symington Company, as well as the American Brake Shoe and Foundry Company, and the Delaware and Hudson Railway . In the first decades of the building's history, its other tenants included publisher McCall Company, paper manufacturer Eastern Manufacturing Company, and Colonial Airlines . Salvatore Maranzano ,
15805-481: The railroads, approaching Grand Central Depot from the north, descended into the Park Avenue Tunnel at 96th Street and continued underground into the new depot. As part of the project, Fourth Avenue was transformed into a boulevard with a median strip that covered the railroad's ventilation grates. Eight footbridges crossed the tracks between 45th and 56th Streets, and there were also vehicular overpasses at 45th and 48th Streets. The boulevard north of Grand Central
15950-489: 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
16095-427: The road's length in Manhattan, it runs parallel to Madison Avenue to the west and Lexington Avenue to the east. Park Avenue's entire length was formerly called Fourth Avenue ; the title still applies to the section between Cooper Square and 14th Street . The avenue is called Union Square East between 14th and 17th Streets , and Park Avenue South between 17th and 32nd Streets . Because of its designation as
16240-527: 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
16385-449: The rooms would be lit so the pattern on the facade resembled a cross; it was controversial among Jewish residents of Park Avenue, but according to Max Capital, the lighting pattern was stopped for security reasons. In 2005, the Helmsley Building was sold again to Istithmar , an investment firm owned by the royal family of Dubai, for $ 705 million. Two years later, it was sold to Goldman Sachs in 2007 for over $ 1 billion. Following
16530-514: The south are Grand Central Terminal and the MetLife Building . In addition, the building is near 50 Vanderbilt Avenue to the southwest, the Roosevelt Hotel to the west, 383 Madison Avenue to the northwest, 245 Park Avenue to the northeast, and 450 Lexington Avenue to the southeast. The Helmsley Building was developed as part of the original " Terminal City " complex above Grand Central Terminal's rail yards. The Helmsley Building
16675-456: 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
16820-427: 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
16965-688: 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
17110-410: The time, New York Central had planned to build two buildings, one on either side of Park Avenue. New York Central proposed a single 16-story building over Park Avenue in 1922. Two years later, New York Central and the city reached an agreement to build a single building over Park Avenue, in exchange for an extension of Vanderbilt Avenue from 45th to 47th Streets, and the completion of the viaduct through
17255-493: The tracks to accommodate electric trains. Overpasses would be built across the open cut at most of the cross-streets. The new electric-train terminal, Grand Central Terminal , was opened in 1913. After the electric trains were buried underground, the area around Park Avenue in the vicinity of Grand Central was developed into several blocks worth of prime real estate called Terminal City . Stretching from 42nd to 51st Streets between Madison and Lexington Avenues, it came to include
17400-408: 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
17545-522: The tunnel roof, the project was delayed for several years. The project had been estimated to cost $ 200,000 per intersection in 1994. As part of the new agreement, Metro-North designed a way to anchor the traffic signals in the deck and tunnel roof. Pedestrian signals and gantry-mounted traffic signals were installed at these intersections in July 2010. On March 12, 2014, two apartment buildings near 116th Street , 1644 and 1646 Park Avenue, were destroyed in
17690-464: The way in which private undertakings, when intelligently coordinated with municipal interests, can bring about a real public improvement". Construction of the foundation started in December 1926. At that time, New York Central opened bids for the procurement of 40,000 short tons (36,000 long tons; 36,000 t) of steel. Warren and Wetmore filed building plans in February 1927, and a contract for 25,000 short tons (22,000 long tons; 23,000 t) of steel
17835-467: The widest avenue on Manhattan's East Side, Park Avenue originally carried the tracks of the New York and Harlem Railroad built in the 1830s, just a few years after the adoption of the Manhattan street grid . The railroad's right-of-way at ground level forced foot and carriage traffic onto either side of the tracks. Later on, the railroad was run through an open cut tunnel under Murray Hill , which
17980-417: The windows on the 15th story. Above the 15th floor is a cornice with terracotta bison heads, which symbolize industry. There are 78 bison heads in total. The cornice also contains images of Mercury's winged helmet , winged wheels representing advancement, scrolls of wisdom, wheels of progress, and other motifs. The 15th story of the eastern facade had a sky bridge that connected to 466 Lexington Avenue until
18125-419: The years following the terminal's completion. The terminal spurred development in the surrounding area, particularly in Terminal City, a commercial and office district created above where the tracks were covered. Terminal City soon became Manhattan's most desirable commercial and office district. A 1920 New York Times article said, "With its hotels, office buildings, apartments and underground Streets it not only
18270-406: Was a severe bottleneck at Vanderbilt Avenue and 45th Street. As such, the city government refused to issue construction permits for buildings on Park Avenue between 45th and 46th Streets until the bottleneck was resolved. The city started negotiating with New York Central to open the eastern leg of the viaduct, although the railroad was holding out unless it was granted property on Park Avenue. At
18415-450: Was able to indicate clearly its relationship to the height of a man." John Tauranac , in a guidebook published in 1978, said that the design was "absolutely glorious". Paul Goldberger of The New York Times wrote in 1978 that the Helmsley Building "picks up on the architectural elements of Park Avenue, but transforms them into something more exuberant". Christopher Gray , writing for the same newspaper, stated in 1996: "The middle section
18560-498: Was accurate, Mandel asked the New York City Board of Aldermen to move Park Avenue's southern terminus to 32nd Street. The change went into effect on December 1, 1924, and address numbers along Park Avenue were changed accordingly. The previous house numbered 1 Park Avenue was occupied by Martha Bacon, widow of diplomat Robert Bacon , who led the opposition to the renumbering. The Board of Aldermen summarily overturned
18705-490: 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
18850-466: 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
18995-485: Was awarded to the McClintic-Marshall Company the next month. James Stewart & Company were hired to place the foundation's piers 50 feet (15 m) deep. That July, New York Central awarded the general construction contract to James Stewart & Company. Because the steel beams were so large, they could not be moved through city Streets, so they were delivered by rail. The steelwork had reached
19140-470: 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
19285-415: 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
19430-477: 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
19575-547: Was designed by Warren & Wetmore . The design is influenced by that of the Manhattan Municipal Building , which spanned Chambers Street in Lower Manhattan , with side wings projecting to the west and east. The wings slightly resemble the "court of honor" designed by Reed and Stem , another collaborator in the Grand Central project. Inside the base are two S-ramps carrying Park Avenue to
19720-467: Was finished. According to later sources, the building was considered to be the last major project erected as part of Terminal City. New York Central moved its administrative headquarters to the 32nd and 33rd floors, while the remaining floors were leased to tenants. The 32nd floor had a boardroom with English wood paneling gifted by the Van Swearingen brothers (who were railroad barons), as well as
19865-506: Was located directly atop the roof of the Park Avenue Tunnel, with the street being 8 inches (20 cm) above the roof in some locations. Because the roof was 18 to 24 inches (46 to 61 cm) thick, there was not enough room to provide a foundation for the traffic poles without puncturing the structure. Due to the high cost of making these upgrades, and the lack of cooperation between the New York City Department of Transportation and Metro-North, which had opposed any solution that would modify
20010-445: 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
20155-713: 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
20300-528: Was owned by Helmsley-Spear until August 1998, when it was sold to the Max Capital Management Corporation for $ 225 million. The terms of the sale stipulated that the building would not be renamed again. Max Capital subsequently hired Skidmore, Owings & Merrill to design the building's $ 50 million renovation. Starting in 2000, the building's arcades were shut down one at a time for renovation. The advertising boards in
20445-419: Was placed upon these girders and insulated with vibration-proof mats and cork tubes. The Helmsley Building did not have basements because that space was occupied by the tracks. Because of this, the machinery, utilities, and storage areas were installed on the 15th floor. The lobby's interior is designed to evoke New York Central's "prowess". This is evidenced in the walls, which are made of marble , as well as
20590-484: Was renamed Park Avenue in 1888. A fatal collision between two trains occurred under Park Avenue in 1902, in part because the smoke coming from the steam trains obscured the signals. The New York state legislature subsequently passed a law to ban all steam trains in Manhattan. By December 1902, as part of an agreement with the city, New York Central agreed to put the approach to Grand Central Station from 46th to 59th Streets in an open cut under Park Avenue, and to upgrade
20735-521: Was restored in the 1970s and removed in 2002. The building has 1.4 million sq ft (130,000 m) of office space. Of this, the lower 15 floors each have an area of 56,000 square feet (5,200 m) and the upper 20 floors each cover 16,800 square feet (1,560 m). The building was erected with 40 elevators, only 25 of which were in use as of 2022. The building uses 26,922 short tons (24,038 long tons; 24,423 t) of steel, of which 9,000 short tons (8,000 long tons; 8,200 t) went into
20880-552: 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
21025-403: Was then covered with grates and grass between 34th and 40th Street in the early 1850s. A section of this "park" was later renamed Park Avenue in 1860. Park Avenue's original southern terminus was at 34th Street, and the newly renamed Park Avenue was given its own house-numbering system separate from that of Fourth Avenue. The address 1 Park Avenue was assigned to a house at 101 East 34th Street, at
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