National Register of Historic Places

Grand Central Terminal (Boundary Increase: Park Avenue Viaduct)

New York, New York County, New York
Listed
August 10, 1983
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
83001726

About this property

The Park Avenue Viaduct, also known as the Pershing Square Viaduct, is a roadway in Manhattan, New York City. It carries vehicular traffic on Park Avenue from 40th to 46th Streets. The viaduct is composed of two sections: a steel viaduct with two roadways from 40th to 42nd Streets, as well as a pair of roadways between 42nd and 46th Streets. The section from 40th to 42nd Streets was designated a New York City landmark in 1980 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The street-level service roads of Park Avenue, which flank the viaduct between 40th and 42nd Streets, are called Pershing Square. The section of the viaduct between 42nd and 46th Streets travels around Grand Central Terminal and the MetLife Building, then through the Helmsley Building; all three buildings lie across the north–south axis of the avenue. The viaduct was first proposed by New York Central Railroad engineer William J. Wilgus in 1900 as part of the construction of Grand Central Terminal. Construction on the viaduct's western leg began in 1917, after the terminal had opened, and was completed in 1919. The western leg initially carried two-way traffic, so the eastern leg was completed for northbound traffic in 1928, and the western leg was reconfigured to carry southbound traffic only. An information booth was established in 1939 beneath the viaduct, and the city renovated the viaduct in the early 1990s.

Location

71-105 E. 42nd St., Park Ave. between E. 40th and E. 42nd Sts.
New York, New York County, New York
40.74995, -73.97745

Categories

TRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

House at 146 East 38th St.
Early Republic
0 mi
Murray Hill Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Listed
0.1 mi
Douglas, Adelaide L. T., House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Murray Hill Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
Chanin Building
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Kip's Bay
1776Revolutionary War
0.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Grand Central Terminal (Boundary Increase: Park Avenue Viaduct) listed on the National Register?

Grand Central Terminal (Boundary Increase: Park Avenue Viaduct) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 10, 1983.

What type of historic resource is Grand Central Terminal (Boundary Increase: Park Avenue Viaduct)?

Grand Central Terminal (Boundary Increase: Park Avenue Viaduct) is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Grand Central Terminal (Boundary Increase: Park Avenue Viaduct)?

The period of significance for Grand Central Terminal (Boundary Increase: Park Avenue Viaduct) is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Grand Central Terminal (Boundary Increase: Park Avenue Viaduct)?

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