Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Preservationist Says Macy's Has "Apple Store Fever," Criticizes Renovations
By
Jen Carlson
Published Sep 14, 2012
Modified Sep 14, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
View all 6
By
Jen Carlson
Published Sep 14, 2012
Modified Sep 14, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The famous Macy's flagship in Herald Square is getting a $400 million makeover, but even though they say it will maintain the store’s “architectural integrity,” preservationist Theodore Grunewald is criticizing the facelift. Macy's says the project, which began in the spring, is the most extensive renovation they've ever undertaken. While changes will take place, so will restorations, including to the memorial entrance and the wooden escalators (which have been known to sever fingers in the past).
According to CityRoom, Grunewald spotted some "structural columns rising to the ceiling had been simplified. No longer did they have the Art Deco look that was so familiar in that part of the store. The marble cladding that he said had given them elegance and color was gone." He called this a "tragedy," adding, “All the king’s horses and all the king’s men will never make Art Deco again. Imagine trying to build the Chrysler Building now if you had to.” He says Macy's has fallen victim to "Apple store fever," especially in relation to the first floor renovations, some of which a Macy's rep said actually took place in the 1970s (the building was landmarked in 1978), and are not part of the new project.
Click through for a look at Macy's back in the day—a couple of more photos from inside of the store, taken by Stanley Kubrick in 1948, can be seen in the MCNY's archives.
Tagged
landmark
macy's
preservation
renovations
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Inside a photographer's journey to visit every neighborhood in New York City
What do you see when you record the whole of the boroughs?
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 5, 2026
Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries
It's a busy month at the branches.
By
Alec Hamilton
Arts & Entertainment
Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries
It's a busy month at the branches.
By
Alec Hamilton
NYC music in October: The Strokes, a Blink-182 cover band, and Polish experimentalism
By
Hank Shteamer
Are you a New Yorker? The Department of New Yorker Verification will now decide.
By
Hannah Frishberg
In the mood for a pastoral autumn experience? Try Queens.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .