Found: The Lost Oversized Armchairs of Grand Central Terminal

As part of the renovation of Grand Central Terminal, red and green armchairs were placed in the dining concourse in 1998, modeled after the luxury wingchairs on the 20th-Century Limited Trains. The insignia on the chairs were the original logo of the terminal, in which Cornelius Vanderbilt placed a secret reference. As reported by The New York Times, the letters GCT in the symbol are formed such that when upside, the T becomes an anchor–an homage to Vanderbilt’s start in the ferry and shipping business.

There were 20 chairs and 4 loveseats in all, designed by David Rockwell and Sterling Surfaces, made of Corian with a custom colors to mimic a mohair texture. But in 2011, the chairs were removed, deemed too bulky for proper circulation of the space–and indeed they weighed 400 pounds each. On our Secrets of Grand Central Terminal tour, you’ll get to see these chairs up close and personal in a location high above the concourse.

Tour of the Secrets of Grand Central Terminal
Next, read about the Top 10 Secrets of Grand Central Terminal. Get in touch with the author @untappedmich.