Grand Central Terminal
89 East 42nd Street, New York, NY, USA
Grand Central Terminal took ten years to complete in 1913 at the staggering cost of $65 million and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976 after being rescued from demolition when Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis stepped in to help save the Beaux-Arts building.
In 1995, the MTA announced a massive restoration project, which was completed in 1998, including the famous astronomical mural on the ceiling of the main concourse, which shows the Mediterranean sky during the October to March zodiac and features 2,500 stars. During its restoration, UBS workers discovered the names of the craftsmen written around the stars in the ceiling. The cleaning of the ceiling was done by air blasting ground walnut shells!
The information booth continues to be a favorite meeting place for commuters and travellers, in large part due to its iconic clock. The staff handles more than 1,000 questions an hour! From personal experience, UBS workers can confirm that wearing an orange construction safety vest also causes people to ask you lots of questions, particularly related to directions.