LIGGETT BUILDING

What a bore. It was built in one year, so I'll give it that much. Opened its doors in 1921.

Modern eyes can’t automatically grasp what it meant at the time, though. The space had been occupied by a small churches and, I presume, row houses or small office buildings. Along comes the new Grand Central Station, and these things start sprouting along 42nd street, giants taking the places of pigmies. The entire world was being made over.

First big tenants: Liggett Drugs, and Winchester Rifles.