Pershing Square, Manhattan facts for kids
Pershing Square is a cool public space in Manhattan, New York City. It's located right where Park Avenue and 42nd Street meet. You'll find it in front of the famous Grand Central Terminal.
A big road called the Park Avenue Viaduct goes over 42nd Street here. This viaduct is also known as the Pershing Square Viaduct. There are also two smaller roads, one for cars going north and one for cars going south. These roads connect 42nd Street to the main Park Avenue road at 40th Street.
Pershing Square was named in 1919 after a famous general, John J. Pershing. At first, the name was meant for a whole city block. This block was bordered by Park Avenue, Lexington Avenue, 41st Street, and 42nd Street. Later, three buildings were built on this block in the 1920s: the Pershing Square Building, 110 East 42nd Street, and the Chanin Building. After that, the name "Pershing Square" started to refer to the smaller roads of the Park Avenue Viaduct.
A special building for tourists was built under the viaduct in 1939. It was later changed into a store, and then into a restaurant. In 2018, the service roads between 42nd and 41st Streets were turned into a public area just for people walking.
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How Pershing Square Was Developed
Pershing Square is named after General John J. Pershing, a hero from the World War I. It was first planned to be a large open area to honor him. This area would have covered the entire block between 41st Street, Park Avenue, 42nd Street, and Lexington Avenue.
Early History of the Area
Before 1885, a street called Steuben Street used to cut diagonally across this block. It was named after another Revolutionary War general, Baron von Steuben. In 1883, a hotel called the Grand Union Hotel was built on the northwest corner of the block. The eastern part of the block had a large storage building called the Manhattan Storage Warehouse, built in 1882.
In 1914, the city took over the hotel land. This was done to make space for building the New York City Subway's Grand Central–42nd Street station. The subway line ran diagonally under the site, so the hotel was torn down.
Naming and Early Plans
The area at the bottom of the Park Avenue Viaduct was renamed for General Pershing shortly after the viaduct opened in 1919. There was an idea to turn the old Grand Union Hotel space into an open plaza. They also wanted to build a three-story memorial called "Victory Hall."
However, Fiorello La Guardia, who was a city leader at the time, didn't like the idea of Victory Hall. In May 1920, the city tried to sell the land for $2.8 million. But no one wanted to buy it.
Building the Pershing Square Area
In July 1920, a group of investors led by Henry Mandel bought the old Grand Union Hotel site. Mandel then sold the middle part of the block to the Bowery Savings Bank. This part became an office building at 110 East 42nd Street, which was finished in 1923.
The western part of the site became the Pershing Square Building, also completed in 1923. The eastern part, where the storage warehouse was, was rebuilt into the Chanin Building. This building opened in 1929. After these buildings were finished, the name "Pershing Square" mostly referred to the service roads of the Park Avenue Viaduct, between 40th and 42nd streets.
The Space Under the Viaduct
The area under the viaduct, between 41st and 42nd streets, was once used to store trolleys. In 1938, the city announced plans to build a tourist information center there. This was to get ready for the 1939 New York World's Fair.
Tourist Center and Other Uses
The city built a structure of steel and glass bricks under the middle arch of the viaduct. This building, at 90 East 42nd Street, opened in December 1939. It first helped tourists find their way around the city.
During World War II, the space was used by a group called United Service Organizations (USO). After the war, it became an office for the New York Convention and Visitors Bureau. By the 1980s, the building was being used as an unemployment office.
Turning the Space into a Restaurant
In 1989, a group called the Grand Central Partnership suggested turning the space under the viaduct into a restaurant. At that time, it was a discount store. They also wanted to close Pershing Square to car traffic between 41st and 42nd streets. The discount store moved out in March 1992.
The Grand Central Partnership decided to go ahead with the restaurant plan in 1993. However, they faced some problems. A local community group didn't want to close the nearby part of Park Avenue to traffic. Also, the city asked for a long review process for the project. The community group was against the closure because it was the only place for cars on 42nd Street to turn right between Seventh Avenue and Second Avenue.
The Pershing Square Cafe
In 1995, the city and the Grand Central Partnership announced plans to fix up the space for $2 million. They would then rent it out as a restaurant. The Pershing Square Cafe signed a lease for the space in 1997.
The owner, Michael O'Keeffe, put a lot of effort into the renovation. The project's cost grew to $5 million, and the cafe's opening was delayed. The cafe had special details, like screws that were only available when the viaduct was built. It also had chairs and electric cords from Paris, and a unique hand-painted design. The cafe's entrance was on 42nd Street, and the kitchen was near the 41st Street part of the viaduct.
The service roads between 41st and 42nd streets stayed open to cars until 2018. Then, they were finally changed into a public space just for people walking.
See also
In Spanish: Plaza Pershing (Manhattan) para niños
