It took decades to build and “miscellaneous remaining work” is ongoing but Grand Central Madison – the transit hub where the Long Island Railroad stops on Manhattan’s East Side – has the “World’s Most Beautiful Passenger Station” interior, according to an international panel of award judges.
The cavernous terminal, which opened in January 2023 after years of delays, received UNESCO’s 2024 Prix Versailles Interior Award for its “innovativeness, creativity, reflection of local heritage and ecological efficiency” in a recently opened or renovated station, according to the MTA. The awards were announced in a ceremony at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on Tuesday night.
In a written statement, MTA CEO Janno Lieber congratulated the teams of designers and architects that worked on the “world-class” station.
“The project team seamlessly blended innovative engineering and architectural grandeur to create a worthy addition to Grand Central – New York’s temple of mass transit,” he said.
At 700,000 square feet, Grand Central Madison was the largest passenger rail terminal to be built in the country in more than 60 years. Its opening allows the Long Island Railroad to carry 40 percent more passengers, bringing its weekday rider total to 260,000, according to the MTA.
MTA officials hosted a reception in February 2023 celebrating art installations in Grand Central Madison.
Courtesy of the MTA
Grand Central Madison’s ridership quickly exceeded other major iconic facilities — like Boston’s South Station and Chicago Union Station — to become the third-busiest commuter railroad hub in the country, the MTA says.
Over the summer, the MTA put out a notice seeking contractors to complete further work on the terminal, including elements of fire alarm systems, modifications of doors and installation of security cameras. It was also making provisions for retail spaces in the underground station, which remain largely empty. Those finishing touches were projected to cost between $10 million and $50 million, and take a little over a year to complete.
The UNESCO award focused on the architecture and design of the station.
Grand Central Madison was selected in September for the competition’s World’s Most Beautiful Passenger Stations 2024 List alongside Schafbergbahn Station in St. Wolfgang, Austria; Bell Station in Melbourne, Australia; Beijing Station in Beijing, China Toulouse; Matabiau Station in Toulouse, France; and Chiaia Metro Station in Naples, Italy. From the list, the panel of judges awarded three World Titles: Prix Versailles, Interior and Exterior.