Anne Lewison

Everyday over 700,000 New Yorkers pass through Midtown along Park Avenue to and from Grand Central Terminal. This is a part of the City where in a few blocks you can see many of the forces that have shaped our city. There are icons of architecture (Midtown Modernism) and capitalism such as Lever, Seagram, and the Chrysler building. There are icons of real estate such as the Grand Hyatt and Helmsley. There are great clubs and great churches and very tall buildings (JP Morgan, One Vanderbilt)

There are stories about Grand Central and its construction, the viaduct which may have been the first limited access highway. There are cultural institutions such as New York Public Library and Scandinavia House. New Yorkers from Commodore Vanderbilt to JP Morgan influenced this neighborhood. This walk showcases some of the art and architecture along Park Avenue and tells some of the stories about its past, its present, and perhaps future.