Great page… Question thought regarding the New York Central Building. All of those monograms, are those “NYC” or NYG”? At first I thought it was “NYC” but as the “C” curves up, I think it may be a “G”.

Thanks, Marty!

This. There is a lot worse that could have happened… (like the Marcel Breuer abomination, which I mentioned in my post about Rye). The Pennsy was quick to demolish Penn Station before there was any real opposition. The Pan Am building staved off the immediate need for the New York Central to get rid of the Terminal by a few years… precious years in which the NY City Landmarks Preservation Commission came into being.

I dare say the Pam Am (Met Life) building saved Grand Central Terminal. If the New York Central Railroad didn’t realize the income from the Pan Am building, it would’ve demolished Grand Central itself to utilize the air rights. In those days, nobody would’ve been willing to come forward and assume the high operating expenses and taxes for the terminal (just as nobody wanted to assume the costs and taxes of Pennsylvania Station).