Back in February, there were rumors then rumors squashing rumors that Apple would build a store on the Grand Central Terminal balcony. Now, the rumors are back, thanks to a Wall Street Journal report.
The WSJ says, "The agency is looking for a single renter for two adjacent balconies on the north and east sides of the terminal. It will issue a request for proposals Monday. The current tenant of one of the balconies, celebrity chef Charlie Palmer's Métrazur restaurant, plans to close July 1 even though his lease ran until 2019 and the eatery was doing 'quite well,' Mr. Palmer said Sunday." In order for Palmer to vacate, he'll need to be paid out, and Palmer explains, "It's an offer that's hard to refuse. It's hard to compete with whatever that company might be that's taking the space."
Apparently Apple is interested because while the 15,000+ square foot space is not that large, it's in a prime location with tens of thousands of commuters and visitors: "Retail experts said an Apple store in Grand Central could surpass the popularity of the store that's open 24 hours a day under the plaza in front the General Motors building. Apple's designers built that store by putting a glass cube leading into a basement on Fifth Avenue, and experts figure the computer maker would figure out a clever way to make the Grand Central site work."
Whomever the eventual tenant is will have to submit plans that win the approval of the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
