4 years after Grand Central Madison opened, temporary walls come down

The last issue to delay the launch of Grand Central Madison has finally been resolved — nearly four years after the station opened.

Temporary walls separating the new Long Island Rail Road station and the Grand Central Terminal dining concourse above were recently taken down, as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority made a permanent fix to a ventilation issue that made the partition necessary.

After having the station's completion date pushed back for more than a decade, MTA officials promised for years that they’d open the LIRR’s new Manhattan terminal by the end of 2022, but they missed that target because exhaust fans were unable to clear the air in one "zone" of the new station’s concourse in the event of a fire or other incident that would cause smoke to spread through Grand Central Madison. The air would get mixed with that from the dining concourse, which includes several kitchens.

As a quick fix that allowed the station to open in January 2023, the MTA erected temporary walls separating the two zones. Commuters had to pass through two sets of doors to traverse the partitions, creating a bottleneck during the rush hours.

The MTA had considered various permanent fixes for the problem, including installing glass sliding doors to divide the two areas. But MTA officials said they have been able to address the ventilation issue in a way that makes the separation no longer necessary.

"That issue has been overcome and addressed and now the vestibules are down, and it's a heck of a lot nicer from a passenger standpoint," MTA chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said Wednesday.

Seacliff rider Elana Blumenfeld was pleasantly surprised when the partition was lifted from her daily commute.

"It's been so nice not having to open the door and the constant waiting for someone else to catch up and keep holding the door," she said Friday.

Grand Central Madison was the culmination of the $11.1 billion East Side Access megaproject, which was once expected to be finished by 2009 but encountered more than a decade of delays. Despite its rocky opening in 2023, commuters have come to appreciate the 700,000-square-foot terminal, which is used by about 70,000 riders each day, providing an alternative to Penn Station.

The removal of the temporary walls is among several upgrades made to Grand Central Madison since its opening nearly four years ago. In May, the MTA cut the ribbon on a new entrance to the station at East 45th Street and Madison Avenue. Escalators and elevators linking the new station to Metro-North's main concourse above have been added, as have new seating areas at Grand Central Madison's mezzanine level.

Still, there remains plenty to do at the railroad's second Manhattan terminal. Even 44 months after its opening, Grand Central Madison's 32 retail spaces remain vacant, although Tracks Raw Bar and Grill did open near the station's ticket windows a year ago.

Despite some inconveniences that have lingered, such as the "slightly claustrophobic" temporary walls, said Drew Oringer, of Syosset, on the whole, Grand Central Madison has been a "transformational" improvement in his commute.

"For people who are using Grand Central Madison for the first time, then, sure, I think the inconveniences register. But if you're someone who has just longed to have humane treatment on a commute ... the slight annoyances take a backseat," Oringer said. "The comparison between what was and what is, for somebody who no longer has to go to Penn Station and either walk or take subways, is dramatic."

By Alfonso A. Castillo

alfonso.castillo@newsday.com@alfonsoreports

Alfonso Castillo has been reporting for Newsday since 1999 and covering the transportation beat since 2008. He grew up in the Bronx and Queens and now lives in Valley Stream with his wife and two sons.