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As one who commuted for many years into Grand Central, you can not imagine what it was like back then, when it used to be open 24/7, and before the restoration. The place was like Calcutta, an open sewer. God forbid you had to use the bathroom. Assuming you could tolerate the stench, you'd see hordes of homeless, many of them crazy, half-naked, bathing in the sinks, washing their clothes..draping them over the radiators to dry in the waiting area . There were hundreds living in the tunnels around the station.

People don't realize the impact these things have on the economy, the life style of the city. The theater, concerts, in NY was long a joy of living/working in and near NYC. Thousands of commuters who worked in NY regularly went during the week. Your spouse would take the train in to meet you in the late afternoon.

Broadway curtains used to go up at 8 or 8:30. You'd have a nice dinner, in one of the many restaurants in the theater district, walk to to your show, get out between 11-12, then go back to your restaurant for coffee, dessert, a brandy,a and conversation, then take a cab to Grand Central,and catch the milk train about 2:30 am...sleep on the train, and then drive home from the local station.. a few miles. Funny, I also remember that the milk train would carry the papers, Times, News, Post, WSJ to be dropped off at the stations for all the morning commuters.

So when they closed GC, to keep the homeless out, theaters started 7 or 7:30 curtains, so that out of towners could still make the last train, about 1 am, but nobody eats dinner before or after the theater nowadays..Restaurant row, and a long enjoyable evening, is no more..

Assuming you could tolerate the stench, you'd see hordes of homeless, many of them crazy, half-naked, bathing in the sinks, washing their clothes..draping them over the radiators to dry in the waiting area .

I find the comments criticizing the homeless for being dirty or smelly and those criticizing them for doing what they can to get clean in the only places they can access a tad contradictory.

I understand the frustration of those who have to deal with them, but exactly how is such a person supposed to keep himself clean? Very few private businesses will let them use their restrooms, for entirely understandable reasons.

Your post reminded me of something.
There are/were homeless who live in the subway tunnels. When Sandy flooded the subways, chances are many drowned in the tunnels. The stench must be horrible there considering there would have been no proper burial.

Maybe Sandy moved the underground homeless to above ground. Chances are the homeless were always in NYC, just hidden till now.