MTA selects design team for Penn Station renovation
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has selected a group of architects and engineers for the $7 billion redesign of Penn Station, with the agency’s board voting to approve the contract on Wednesday. The agency tapped FXCollaborative Architects and WSP USA to bring their Penn Station Master Plan to life, with further assistance from London-based John McAslan + Partners as collaborative architects. According to Gov. Kathy Hochul, work will begin “in the coming months.”
Rendering courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office
In June, the state started accepting proposals from architecture and engineering firms to redevelop the major Midtown transit hub into a 250,000 square-foot, single-level facility. As 6sqft previously reported, Hochul’s plan calls for a design that transforms the station into a single-level hall that doubles the square footage of space for passengers, has higher ceilings, and added a 450-foot train hall.
Rendering courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office
“Since crews took a wrecking ball to the original Penn Station in 1963, generations of New Yorkers have been united in their call to build a new station worthy of New York,” Hochul said. “By approving the contract for the redesign of Penn Station, we move another step closer to getting it done.”
Hochul continued: “The transformation of Penn cannot come soon enough, and we look forward to building a world-class station that puts New Yorkers first, delivers a rider-focused transit experience, and a great neighborhood they deserve.”
The project improves accessibility through the creation of 18 new escalators and 11 new elevators, eight new station entrances, new passenger amenities, and an underground connection to the 34th Street-Herald Square subway station.
Rendering courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office
The master plan also includes the construction of a new 30,000-square-foot public plaza outside of the station, more protected bike lanes and bike parking, and the widening of sidewalks.
The redevelopment plan also includes 10 new towers with office and retail space surrounding the transit hub, along with 1,800 new residential units, with a percentage of them permanently affordable housing.
“The work will take place on an aggressive timetable. The opening of Grand Central Madison in just a few months provides us with a once-a-century opportunity to rebuild Penn Station,” Janno Lieber, MTA Chair and CEO, said.
Lieber continued: “With a sizeable percentage of LIRR riders expected to shift their trips to Grand Central Madison, Penn Station will have five years with lower customer volumes before a new influx of customers arrives on Metro-North Railroad by 2027. The MTA wants to get most disruptive the work done before then, so I’m thrilled we are moving forward quickly with the design phase of this massive, long-delayed effort.”
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