NYC landmark Grand Central turns 100
Iconic train station was nearly demolished in the 1970s to make room for an office tower.
Published On 2 Feb 2013
New Yorkers marked the 100th birthday of Grand Central Terminal on Friday.
The always bustling terminal was even more crowded than usual as tourists and commuters leaned in to hear birthday speeches under the twinkling constellations that adorn the main concourse’s soaring ceiling.
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Friday’s party took place exactly 100 years after the keys to Grand Central were first given to the stationmaster.
Conceived as a palace of train travel, the majestic Beaux Arts building now houses the Metro-North Railroad, a commuter line serving New York’s northern suburbs, with connections to the subway system. It is also a shopping and dining destination and is one of the world’s most popular tourist attractions.
But as several speakers recounted, Grand Central was in danger of being demolished in the 1970s to make way for a new office tower.
Al Jazeera’s Kristen Saloomey reports from New York.
Source: Al Jazeera