Grand Central Terminal, Commuter rail terminal in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, United States
Grand Central Terminal is a Beaux-Arts commuter rail terminal at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, designed by Reed and Stem with Warren and Wetmore. Its Main Concourse has a vaulted ceiling painted dark blue-green with gold figures and constellations, a scheme by Paul César Helleu advised by astronomer Harold Jacoby. A round information booth with a four-faced clock stands at the center of the light stone floor.
The present terminal opened on February 2, 1913, replacing the Grand Central Depot of 1871 and the Grand Central Station of 1900. It was built by the New York Central Railroad, whose vice president William J. Wilgus devised the two-level layout separating intercity and commuter trains. The architects were Reed & Stem with Warren & Wetmore, working in the Beaux-Arts style.
The name comes from the New York Central Railroad, which built the station; the full title is carved on the 42nd Street facade, and the building is a "terminal" because trains begin and end there. The Main Concourse doubles as a meeting point and has appeared in many films and television shows. The ceiling, painted by Paul César Helleu with astronomer Harold Jacoby, shows the zodiac and drew a New York Times controversy after a hobby astronomer pointed out errors.
The building can be entered through multiple doorways on 42nd Street and Vanderbilt Avenue, with the main concourse serving as the central reference point. Ramps and staircases lead down from there to platforms on lower floors.
The Whispering Gallery near the Oyster Bar uses four arched corners where someone can speak quietly into the wall and be clearly heard diagonally across the space. This acoustic effect results from the curved tile structure.
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