The "Air Lines Knot-Hole Club," pictured here, was "to kibitz the erection of the world's largest airline terminal." The word "kibitz" is Yiddish for "spectator," though particularly one who might offer poor advice. The "knot holes," (perhaps referring to imperfections in wood grain) are viewing holes that allowed inspectors and other curious members of the public to check out what's going on beyond the construction fence. In 2013, an iteration of these "knot holes" became a local law, stating that "every 25 feet, fences must have 12-inch by 12-inch viewing panels." However, the Airlines Terminal Building, completed in 1939, most likely placed them as an advertising gimmick to excite inquisitive New Yorkers.

New York, the city of great heights. Let's admire some buildings that were at one time the tallest!

Hotel Belmont, 1922. The Hotel Belmont was the tallest hotel in the world when completed in 1906. Built over subway infrastructure (which necessitated considerable underground supporting columns) the 23-story hotel was designed by Grand Central Terminal architects Warren and Wetmore. Despite the high cost and the ornate nature of the building, it was not reviewed favorably upon opening. The Architecture Record called the the cornice “ponderous” and “rather loud.” A critic had even more negative opinions of the interior where he found decorative features to be questionable, useless, and boring. He also called the entranceway “rather cold and uninviting." Despite these judgements, the hotel was successful, its proximity to the train terminal a major benefit. In 1930, quietly and with little fanfare, the hotel closed. On May 3, after a final luncheon, the full-time residents moved out. The furniture, housewares, decorative features, and utilitarian items were sold at auction. Demolished in 1931, plans for a skyscraper were floated but nothing came of them. After three years of being vacant, construction began on the low rise Art Deco Airlines Terminal Building, which was completed in the early 1940s.

In the late 1930s and 1940s, a plane ticket from New York to Europe cost the equivalent of five-thousand dollars. Airfare was a privilege of the wealthy and the Airline Terminal Building was built to accommodate them. The Airline Terminal Building saw its cornerstone laid by Mayor Fiorello La Guardia on April 22nd, 1940. The building served multiple airline companies, including American, Eastern TWA, United, and PanAm. The terminal provided a convenient Midtown hub for passengers to purchase tickets, have their bags checked, dine, and watch the news in a 600-seat theater before being transported by bus to the airport to catch their flight. The building opened on January 26, 1941, ferrying passengers to the New York Municipal Airport. Initially, it brought passengers to Newark, which the same year, as well as Idlewild when it opened seven years later. This sleek, 5-story Art Deco structure was designed by architect John Peterkin in what was then called the modern-classical style. Its stark, symmetric facade faced Grand Central across 42nd Street. Above the door of the building was a mural depicting a map of the planet, projecting its role as was the gateway to the world. Inside, a blue dome raised over gold painted walls, offering an atmosphere that was reminiscent of "Arabian Nights," according to the New York Times. However, after Newark and Idlewild airports opened, buses pulling traffic through grid-locked Midtown stopped seeming like an amenity. A sister terminal opened on First Avenue between 37th and 38th street near the Midtown-Queens tunnel in 1954. The original Airline Terminal Building began to just offer ticketing services. Declining in value and usage, the terminal was shuttered in 1978 to make way for a corporate headquarters.

In the late 1930s and 1940s, a plane ticket from New York to Europe cost the equivalent of five-thousand dollars. Airfare was a privilege of the wealthy and the Airline Terminal Building was built to accommodate them.