Grand Central Depot Circa 1895
It’s 12:20 in the afternoon according to the clock at Grand Central Depot as horse drawn vehicles congregate nearby.
We are looking north from 41st Street and Park Avenue. This contemporary colored magic lantern slide is from around 1895. Soon after this photograph was taken Grand Central’s facade and interior would undergo an extensive renovation.
In 1896 plans by architect Bradford L. Gilbert were drawn up that would add sorely needed additional space.
The rendering seen above from an 1897 Railroad Gazette article was not exactly how the building turned out.
The Neo Renaissance building style was still employed. The difference between plan and actual remodeling are the rounded turrets and architectural flourishes throughout. By July 1898, the expanded Grand Central had additional floors, new offices for the employees and executives and enlarged waiting areas for passengers.
The redesigned structure after completion would become more commonly known as Grand Central Station.
This building did not last long. In 1910 the station was demolished. The architectural firms of Reed & Stem along with Warren & Wetmore, designed the new Grand Central Terminal which opened in 1913 and remains today as a New York landmark.
This postcard seen above shows the projected Grand Central Terminal complex which was never executed. Entrances and exits, the roadway and surrounding buildings are the most obvious examples of differences. One other thing to note – the low profile of the buildings in the city north of 42nd Street.
