In 1968, Penn Central presented plans for a tower to be built over Grand Central but the facade or the main waiting room would not be preserved. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was among the people who opposed the plan.
She said,” Is it not cruel to let our city die by degrees, stripped of all her proud monuments, until there will be nothing left of all her history and beauty to inspire our children? If they are not inspired by the past of our city, where will they find the strength to fight for her future? Americans care about their past, but for short term gain they ignore it and tear down everything that matters. Maybe… this is the time to take a stand, to reverse the tide, so that we won’t all end up in a uniform world of steel and glass boxes.”
