[mrsmartman]

The birth, life, and death of old Penn Station

The story of one of NYC’s greatest architectural losses

Originally Posted by Curbed New York

When Pennsylvania Station first opened in 1910, it was a far cry from the confusing maze of underground tunnels that it is today. The building, which covered eight acres in midtown Manhattan, was an impressive Classical gateway to New York City. The waiting room, inspired by the Roman Baths of Caracalla, had a coffered ceiling that soared 148 feet high. One descended onto sun-bathed train platforms beneath a canopy of iron and glass.

But just 54 years later, that Penn Station was demolished, replaced by the current transit hub that is undergoing a major overhaul due to its ineffective—if not downright unpleasant—design.

The original station was commissioned by the Pennsylvania Railroad, which billed itself around the turn of the 20th century as “the standard railroad of the world.”

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Read more at: https://ny.curbed.com/2017/11/7/1661...y-photos-mckim



The main waiting room of old Penn Station. George P. Hall and Son. Interior of Pennsylvania Station. 1911. Museum of the City of New York. X2010.11.5113