New York, New York
Equipment: Buffalo Air units ranging in CFM from 4,500 to 30,000 were supplied to Grand Central Station, replacing three (3) existing Buffalo units dating back to 1918 and adding eighteen (18) new units. These units included supply and return fans, heating and cooling coils, pre-filters, final filters, dampers and louvers.
Owner: Metro North
Design Architect: Beyer, Blinder, Belle
Project Engineers: Goldman Copeland Associates
Construction Manager: Lehrer McGovern Bovis
Mechanical Contractor: Penguin Air Conditioning
Cooling the more than 500,000 passengers per day that pass through Grand Central Station was no small feat to overcome. With its high cathedral like ceiling and the moving of trains in and out of the station, engineers had to design a way to control the air flow and regulate its temperature.
Keeping the historic nature of the building in tact through the renovation process was a large concern. The original design of the building had large, hollow columns on each side of the concourse which now supply the air, and rosette vents in the ceiling that exhaust the air and smoke. Existing space was at a premium The air handling units supplied had to be “knocked down” and reconstructed in very confined areas such as elevator shafts.
Buffalo Air units were chosen for this project because of their past experience, rugged construction, dependable and long lasting service, and ability to provide these “knock-down” units.