SOME BUSES INSIDE THE PORT AUTHORITY BUS TERMINAL NEAR GATE 301 JUNE 2023

The original Mid-Manhattan Bus Terminal (now PABT's South Wing), built in the International Style, was opened on December 15, 1950.[43][44] The four-story terminal measured 200 by 800 feet (61 by 244 m) and was 65 feet (20 m) tall, with a 500-space parking lot and 50 stores. The ground level contained 40 slips for long-haul buses, as well as an auxiliary platform with space for 15 more buses. The second level was the main concourse and contained ticket offices, waiting rooms, baggage check, restaurants, shops, a 300-seat newsreel theater, and escalators to other levels. The third story was the suburban concourse, which was divided into three sections and contained 72 loading slips and 15 unloading slips. The fourth story was for short-haul buses.[31] A system of pipes was embedded into the reinforced-concrete ramps leading to the terminal, keeping the ramps free of ice.[45] The Port of New York Authority had also proposed a heliport on the roof during the terminal's construction,[46][47] and the agency had authorized the construction of a ramp to the 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue subway station just before the terminal opened.[48]

During its first year, the Port Authority Bus Terminal accommodated 40 million passengers; the terminal's construction was credited with diverting 5,000 buses per day from street-level bus stops.[49] The terminal had replaced a series of coffee shops frequented by the elderly; after the coffee shops had been demolished, patrons of these establishments began meeting at the terminal instead.[50] The terminal's rooftop garage was initially mostly empty,[51][52] prompting the garage's operators to allow trucks to park there.[53] By mid-1951, the garage was frequently fully occupied and was profitable.[52][49] In the terminal's early years, the Port of New York Authority constantly cleaned the terminal, scrubbing the floor every night.[54] Despite the large numbers of passengers who used the terminal, it recorded a net loss during its first five years, in part due to high operating expenses, debt charges, and interest costs.