09/02/08

Simply Grand

by Spelvini

Grand Central Terminal located at 42nd Street and Park Avenue was created by the architects Warren and Wetmore, and Reed and Stern in 1904 and completed in 1913.

Thinking outside of the box, city planners and other have developed Grand Central to a high point for the new millennium as Disney goofs things up in Times Square- Grand Central is a marvelous new (what else?!) Shopping Mall.

Look up from the information booth on any average day and you realize that Grand Central was designed to impart a special feeling to the traveler at the turn of last century. There's a certain mood that you can get from the marble and brass trimmings and especially from the Zodiac symbols and constellations that are painted on the lapis-color ceiling.

It's a great place to spend the afternoon. ? There are four restaurants that overlook the main concourse; there tennis courts on the third floor in what used to be a CBS studio. The Oyster Bar down in the lower food court of the station, offers over a dozen varieties of oyster- I didn't even know there were that many types of Oysters out there!

The original function of the station is as a junction for the MTA shuttle train connecting Times Square to Grand Central Train Terminal where one can book a ticket for points north on the train line and to Connecticut. The east side subway trains connect here.

Anyone wanting a Metro North train going up the Hudson into Westchester and Rockland Counties (up to Poughkeepsie) or into Connecticut will catch it at Grand Central. You can exit the station and walk 1 block east to 6th Avenue for the B D F Q N and R trains.

Go to the web site to get a comprehensive listing with phone numbers of the retail shops, restaurants, and services located in Grand Central Terminal.

• Pros: great shooping alternative
• Cons: too many people...!!!!

12/22/06

Amazing Building!!!! Don't Miss The History

by girlaudio

This is a beautiful building and a piece of history that is a must see. There is dinning downstairs where you can refuel. It is unique sight for the eyes and a great place to let the mind wander about history and the people who have walked that building.

• Pros: Super sights!

11/11/05

Often referred to as the "gateway to the nation," this landmark terminal is a triumph of Beaux-Arts design.

by Contributor

Overview
The terminal, built from 1903-1913, was revitalized by a major renovation project that restored the beauty of its structure and provided new restaurants, shops and stores. Having received praise from the likes of Thomas Wolfe, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and a century of appreciative travelers, Grand Central was realized as a "city within a city;" it's not only a destination where train rides originate and terminate, but a popular center for diners, shoppers and architecture buffs.

Facts
Just a few of the elegant touches that make Grand Central resemble a cathedral with trains: a majestic staircase, impossibly arched ceilings above the main concourse (150 feet high), exquisitely carved, high-backed wooden benches in the main waiting room and intricate sculptures of Minerva, Hercules and Mercury around the clock on the main facade.

12/01/02

wonderful landmark & food/shops

by Anna02_R

I took the train from there for several years when I went to work. I always felt safe, even at 6 AM on a Sunday.

I love the additions.

• Pros: Landmark, Shops
• Cons: Sometimes Crowded

11/17/02

Grand Building

by patrikswim729

Grand Central is a beautiful train station. I wish we still had the old Penn Station too. i wish Grand Central was Penn Station instead. The waiting hall is magnificent. I like the Oyster Bar too.

• Pros: Food, Roomy Area, Nearby Attractions

06/13/02

A virtual city all by itself

by peterbehle_citysearch

I used to commute on Metro North from Westport every day, but the glamor and aura of Grand Central never got old. Day after day, I'd still be awestruck by the size and beauty of the huge station. I'd pick a different spot each day to pick up a snack and/or a beer for the ride home -- from bagels to cheesecake to ice cream. And the newstands were great, too.

• Pros: It's got everything
• Cons: Hot in the summer

05/16/02

spectacular

by KarenHudes_Citysearch

I love to stop here with guests from out of town. The astronomical ceiling dazzles, and the sheer scale creates the feeling of a public square. It reminds you of the grandeur New York once strove for in its public structures.

05/16/02

A Modern Classic

by BenWilliams_Citysearch

I'm too young to remember the old Penn Station, but I always imagine that the new Grand Central captures a similarly grand atmosphere.