1. A Grand Hotel Used to Exist at Columbus Circle

Pabst Grand Circle Hotel in Columbus Circle on far left c. 1907. Photo from Library of Congress.

Columbus Circle was once filled with Victorian-style buildings, including the Pabst Grand Circle Hotel and the Majestic Theatre, built for the Pabst Brewing Company in 1903. In 1954, the complex was demolished and later replaced by the New York Coliseum, an exhibition hall and convention center that stood at the site from the 1956 to 2000. During its lifetime, it hosted a variety of events, such as the New York International Auto Show, the National Photographic Show, and the Fifth International Philatelic Exhibition. By the 1990s, however, the area had become extremely run down (partially depicted in this photograph), and in 2000, the Coliseum was cleared to make room for the present day Time Warner Center.