The station entrance is a reproduction but the interior contains some lovely tile work by the Grueby Faience and Tile Company, incorporationg images of rampant beavers -- symbol of the Astor family's fortune, as in beaver hats which were once all the rage.  

1904 was a busy year for the Astors:

William Waldorf Astor opened the Astor Hotel on 44th and Broadway (demolished),
John Jacob Astor opened the St. Regis on Fifth Avenue, 
Nancy Langhorne, who would become Lady Nancy, Viscountess Astor, having divorced her first husband in '03, moved to England, and
Brooke Astor, who died yesterday, was already pushing two years old.

                             Famous Astor Beaver

The Astors helped remake the New York skyline, and Brooke did her best when it came her turn to mitigate the family karma by giving back to the city, to the tune of a couple hundred million.  

But Life can be cruel, and as my friend Justin says, at 105 Brooke was cut down while she still had so much left to give.  Other friends dispute this view, however, arguing that there was nothing left, certainly not more than maybe fifty million, if that, which makes the bad behavior of the son so baffling.  "Skimping on the poor girl's comforts in her final days," as one wag puts it; "scrambling for crumbs... very poor taste, what?"

What indeed.  Merv, and now Brooke.  Who's next?  The bets are on.