, Norton, 2000 Hardcover, 230 pages, ENG, 275 x 210 mm, dustjacket, in very good condition, illustrated in colour / b/w., ***With greeting & Signatures of both authors !!*** ISBN 9780393047653.
The information-packed yet spirited text about one of the most famous rail terminals in the world is well supported by abundant illustrations. Coauthor Belle was the principal architect of the $400 million Grand Central restoration project, which concluded with the station's rededication in October 1998. Belle and Leighton's lively chronicle of the history of the station and its rescue from the wrecking ball offers not only a fascinating microcosm of the rise and fall of rail transportation in this country but also a view of the restoration project as a watershed in the landmark preservation movement. Grand Central was built in the early twentieth century, and it quickly became a crossroads of rail travel. In 1947, for instance, more than 65 million people passed through its halls and corridors, a number that represented the equivalent of 40 percent of the U.S. population at the time. This book glowingly touts Grand Central Station's architectural significance and its place in American business and culture