New Penn Station renderings show plan for $8 billion transformation: "America's world-class station"
New renderings of the estimated $8 billion New York Penn Station renovation were unveiled Monday.
The dream of fixing the train hub for 650,000 daily commuters seems to finally be on track after Gov. Kathy Hochul secured funding from President Trump.
Amtrak's Andy Byford, who previously headed New York City Transit, joined the architect and project manager to unveil a bold new design that will add a soaring Eighth Avenue entrance and remove the theater attached to Madison Square Garden.
"Our ambition is this will be America's world-class station," Byford said.
Naturally-lit, open concoursesOfficials said the plan will create room to replace cramped underground concourses with naturally-lit, open space.
"This is what that will look like once our plan is complete, all this light streaming down from the west," said Vishaan Chakrabarti, founder of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism.
By getting rid of the MSG theater, officials say they will be able to increase commuter space from 65,000 square feet to 170,000 square feet.
"That's a 165% increase in public circulation space," Chakrabarti said.
The Dolans, who own the Garden, will get an undisclosed payment for the theater's removal, officials said.
Construction to start in 2027Officials hope construction for the project will begin next year and take about six years to complete, so commuters will need to have some patience.
"I would be disingenuous to say there won't be any disruption. But there's a massive difference between disruption and chaos," Byford said.
Trump naming rights?President Trump has said he wants the new Penn Station to be named after him, but the project's organizers said they have not been discussing the idea.
"I'm not focused on names at all," Byford said.
"In [a request for proposal], you respond to the conditions and the directions that are given to you. So this building has a name, and the name is there, and the name is there," said Peter Cipriano, CEO of Halmar-Skanska Partnership and Penn Transformation Partners.
Cipriano was pointing to renderings that show "Pennsylvania Station" above the entrances.
Byford added commuters will not be on the hook for the overhaul. He said there will be no fare hikes or surcharges to fund the redevelopment.
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