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Grand Central Terminal

A glimpse at the Grand Central Apple Store

by Benjamin Kabak August 17, 2011

written by Benjamin Kabak on August 17, 2011

After much pestering by reporters and silence from Apple, the MTA finally released the official presentation to its board concerning the upcoming Grand Central Terminal Apple Store. The presentation — available here as a PDF — contains three high-res renderings of the proposed store, and as the above shot shows, it appears as though Apple and the MTA have figured out how to incorporate the store into the iconic and landmarked terminal without overwhelming it.

This rendering shows how the Apple Store will take over the currently unoccupied northeast balcony as well as the former Metrazur space. It appears as though the elevators from the lower level will open directly into the store itself, and I have to believe that security measures will be in place there as well. The total amount of space Apple is taking out comes to 23,000 square feet which includes the entire east and northeast balcony spaces. Apple is currently working on building out the store, and it should be open before the end of the year.

As I look at these renderings, one thought comes to mind: As integrated as the store will be with the Grand Central space, the images have very few people in them. The Apple Store, simply put, will be far more crowded than these illustrations show. As long as the computer giant and the MTA are prepared for the influx of people, this will be a very, very successful retail space indeed.

August 17, 2011 9 comments

View from Underground

As Apple deal nears, Grand Central evolves

by Benjamin Kabak July 21, 2011

written by Benjamin Kabak on July 21, 2011

The grand opening for the Fifth Ave. Apple Store drew long lines in 2006. (Photo by flickr user workinpana)

As both transit ridership and great historical buildings grow in the public eye, at Grand Central Terminal, the times they are a-changing’. Once a threatened building that nearly underwent the same fate as our dearly departed Beaux-Arts original at Penn Station, Grand Central was saved from the wrecking ball after a prolonged fight by Jackie Kennedy Onassis. By the early 1990s though, the station was in sorry shape as commuters just tried to get out of it. After 20 years, it has been restored to grandeur.

These days, Grand Central isn’t just for commuters. It’s a destination for tourists, foodies and folks looking to catch a glimpse of harried life in New York. It’s featured in everything from animated movies to annoying TV commercials, and it is the place to be. With the East Side Access project with a half a decade from completion, the area will only grow more crowded and more traveled as time goes by.

Nothing quite shows just how hot Grand Central is than the rumors we heard earlier this year of an Grand Central-bound Apple Store. The rumors started in February, dissipated in March and came roaring back in May. Today, they are here to stay as the MTA may vote on an Apple Store for the Metrazur space as soon as next week.

With the Apple Store on tap, The Times reflected on the changes at Grand Central. The story is one we’ve heard all throughout the city. As the building has become a more popular destination for shopping and eating, old tenants have been pushed out in favor of bigger names with more money. Magnolia Bakery, with its world renowned cupcakes, replaced the Little Pie Company, for instances, and more changes are afoot as the MTA continues to upscale Grand Central. Christine Haughney reports:

More than a decade after the restoration of its public areas, including its shops and restaurants, Grand Central has realized its goal of becoming a retail destination, appealing to a wider audience than the train and subway riders rushing between platform and street.

This month, Grand Central’s landlord, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, notified 300 applicants that most of them had been rejected for the 74 available slots at its December holiday fair. By late fall, the terminal expects to have a dozen new shops and restaurants, including Beer Table, which has a restaurant in Brooklyn; bread and vegetable stands run by Eli’s; and an outpost of the popular downtown store Kidding Around Toys.

When Apple proposed opening a store on the balcony overlooking the main hall, it submitted its bid in linen-lined boxes, as if it were a wedding present to transit officials, a source familiar with the application process said. The board is expected to approve the deal as early as next week, at its monthly board meeting.

But changes popular with shoppers and the transportation authority, which handles the real estate for the station’s operator, Metro-North Railroad, have angered some of the shop owners who helped drive the transformation. While shop owners appreciate the traffic and improved surroundings of the new Grand Central, they say the authority can be a very demanding landlord that displays little loyalty once leases expire.

The stories are the same citywide. Some business owners willing to gamble are getting priced out after years of loyalty, and they aren’t happy. “Twelve years ago, I didn’t want to come there; there was nothing there,” Sushil Malhotra, a restauranteur who owns Cafe Spice, said. “But now, because I’m successful there, anybody can outbid me.”

Ultimately, though, the successes of the Apple Store are a true testament to the power of preservation. The MTA turned a rundown relic into a shining example of a modern train station. In the fall, I’ll be working two blocks away from the terminal, and I couldn’t be happier about it. It’s a modern attraction that’s getting better. It’s too bad we can’t say the same about the rest of the transit system quite yet.

July 21, 2011 15 comments

Asides MTA

Post: GCT Apple Store targeting Metrazur spot?

by Benjamin Kabak February 18, 2011

written by Benjamin Kabak on February 18, 2011

As we try to figure out where in Grand Central the rumored Apple Store may land, today’s Post sheds some light on the topic. According to Garrett Sloane, the computer giant is targeting the Terminal’s main hall and will take over the balcony area currently inhabited by Charlie Palmer’s Metrazur restaurant. Reportedly, Metrazur’s backers are “scouting new locations,” and the MTA could open some closed balcony space to make room for the vast store. On the record, Metrazur called this a “rumor” while Apple and the MTA declined to comment on the speculation.

February 18, 2011 0 comment

Metro-North

Ceiling of the Day: Grand Central lights up

by Benjamin Kabak November 9, 2010

written by Benjamin Kabak on November 9, 2010

In the not-so-distant past, Grand Central Terminal’s majestic ceiling was grimy and dark, a far cry from the rich green hues that backdrop the constellations. From 1994-1998, the MTA engaged in a $200 million effort to clean the ceiling, leaving only a small dark patch in one corner to remind passers-by of the way it used to look. The ceiling, with its winter constellations –reversed to show it from the sky’s perspective — that light up and sparkle, is bright once again.

Yesterday, the authority again made the ceiling even brighter as they unveiled new light-emitting diodes that will both add a twinkle to the ceiling and reduce the MTA’s energy costs. Fifty-nine of the brightest lights were illuminated yesterday afternoon. “Using new technology to celebrate the traditional grandeur of Grand Central’s celestial ceiling is a testament to our commitment to improving the life of the city even as we continue to cut costs,” Jay Walder, chair and CEO of the authority, said in a statement. “We hope people won’t run into one another as they crane their necks and peer skyward in admiration.”

Orion sports the Grand Central Terminal's ceiling's new LED lights. (Photo via Metro-North)

As part of the announcement about the new light system, Metro-North released the tale of the old ceiling, and for New York City history buffs, it is a fascinating one indeed. When the terminal opened in 1913, the stars were illuminated by 10-watt incandescent bulbs, then considered to be state-of-the-art. “The pride and fascination with which the new-fangled electricity was viewed was evidenced by the bare light bulbs found throughout the Terminal,” says Metro-North.

As the stars burned out, replacing them became difficult. The ceiling is deep — 50 feet from the top of the cornice to the zenith of the arc — and is accessible only through the attic above. Workers had to crawl on all fours to replace the bulbs.

Meanwhile, says the agency, “as the predecessor railroad headed for bankruptcy, there was less and less enthusiasm for this particular maintenance chore and the bulbs burned out, one by one, until the entire winter zodiac sky was dark.”

In 1997, as part of the rejuvenation of the Grand Central ceiling, the MTA installed a massive fiber-optic system that eliminated the need for electricians to change the bulbs. Seven fiber-optic sources sent light traveling through clear plastic tubes to light up the constellations. But, says the authority, “over the years, the tubes got brittle and brown, and did not project light with the same intensity. The stars faded. In the search for a new, environmentally friendly solution, LEDs seemed the obvious choice.”

The new LED system will, says Metro-North, use just four watts of electricity, a 60 percent reduction from the fiber-optics system. The lights will be on from 5 a.m. to 2 a.m. every day and the bulbs are expected to last 50,000 hours — or 2380 days each. Total savings should be around $8000 a year.

The lights too are positioned to lend the ceiling an aura of authenticity in a city to choked with light pollution to view real constellations. “When gazing up, 125 feet above the Tennessee pink marble floor, one cannot see all the lighted stars at once,” says the MTA. As people walk across the Concourse floor and their vantage point changes, different stars appear, giving a twinkling impression.”

For more photos, check out WNYC’s gallery.

November 9, 2010 5 comments