East Side Airline Terminal, Transportation building in Midtown Manhattan, United States.
The East Side Airline Terminal was a building in Midtown Manhattan that occupied a full city block west of 1st Avenue, between 37th and 38th Streets. It had a modernist design with long rows of windows, underground bus garages below street level, and parking space on the roof.
The building was completed in 1953 and served as the main ticketing and baggage hub for around 20 airlines. It played a central role in city air travel operations until passenger habits and airline logistics began to change.
The terminal was known for its colorful interior, with bluish-green and red tones throughout the waiting areas, and wooden benches arranged in the main rotunda for passengers. The design gave the space a welcoming feel at a time when air travel was still a novel experience for many people.
The building no longer stands in its original form, as it was converted into a residential tower. Those interested in the site can find it on foot from the 37th Street and 1st Avenue area.
When the building was sold in 1985, its structure was folded into the foundation of a new residential tower, so the original roof became the base level of the new building. The old walls did not disappear but were literally buried beneath what replaced them.
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