BBB’s work at Grand Central Terminal began more than 25 years ago, with an existing conditions assessment, historic structures report, and a master plan that served to return the facility to a state of good repair. Following the master plan, a multi-phased restoration began, starting with the Taxi Stand and the Terminal’s former Main Waiting Room, now known as Vanderbilt Hall. These spaces served as a laboratory for the investigation of new preservation processes and a wide range of materials, including marble, travertine, terrazzo, Guastavino tile, and ornamental plaster. As a result of the master plan and preservation studies, BBB embarked upon two major projects at the Terminal.
The first was the Main Concourse rehabilitation project, which involved updating building-wide systems and significant revisions and additions to vertical circulation between the Main and Lower Concourse including new escalator banks, an upgraded Oyster Bar Ramp, and the re-creation of a monumental stair that appeared in Warren and Wetmore’s original design but was never built. The Lower Concourse, formerly one of the most deserted places in the Terminal, has gained a new vitality and is now filled with quality food tenants frequented by commuters and midtown workers. BBB also led a year-long restoration of the vaulted ceiling, returning Paul César Helleu’s mural to its original luster.
