Grand Central Terminal Tour Recap

 

Last Saturday, January 26th, LANDMARK WEST! and friends joined noted guide Justin Ferate for an engaging tour of one of New York's most majestic and welcoming buildings, Grand Central Terminal.

Beginning the tour across Park Avenue and gradually making our way inside, Justin highlighted small yet significant aspects of the building that create a sense of grandeur for visitors. Sets of doors in the entryway, which no longer exist, used to hide the view of the main hall so visitors would be held in suspense about the interior until experiencing it for themselves.

One of the especially delightful aspects of Grand Central is its monumental scale, with classically-inspired ornamentation, that exists alongside many features designed at a human scale. Justin explained this in his engaging and enthusiastic style by demonstrating that the length of each floor tile is the same as a human leg, with the width equal to one step.

       

The tour featured additional treasures of Grand Central, including a remnant of the old yellow bricks that used to pave Park Avenue leading up to Grand Central, which still exists in the parking garage of the old Biltmore Hotel, and of course the whispering gallery beneath an impressive Guastavino tiled ceiling.

LW! thanks Justin Ferate for leading a fascinating tour in anticipation of Grand Central's centennial celebrations later this week.