Long-awaited revamp of Penn Station slated to begin work soon

After years of discussion, work is finally set to begin in the coming months on the long-awaited makeover of Penn Station, Governor Kathy Hochul announced last week.

The MTA, as well as NJ Transit and Amtrak, have approved a contract for the redesign of the much maligned transit hub, which will be transformed through by a team that includes FXCollaborative, WSP, and John McAslan + Partners - the firm which led the makeover of London's King Cross Station a decade ago.

"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," said Hochul in a news release. "By approving the contract for the redesign of Penn Station, we move another step closer to getting it done. 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." 

A master plan unveiled in 2021 calls for placing the operations of Penn Station on a single level, centered on a large concourse with a 450-foot-long atrium running between Madison Square Garden and 2 Penn Plaza. The plan, which will also connect with Moynihan Train Hall across 8th Avenue, is expected to do away with the notoriously cramped environs of Penn Station, relieving overcrowding, improving passenger flow, and better integrating the transit hub with its surroundings.

The revamp, which is a component of a $7-billion revamp of the surrounding blocks, is to be accompanied by new developments creating more than 1,800 residential units - nearly 40 percent of which would be affordable or supportive housing.

"The long overdue revitalization of Penn Station will be a forceful catalyst for new investments and development within the community around it, benefitting residents, commuters, and visitors," said Empire State Development president Hope Knight in a statement. " As the nation's busiest transit hub, our region's economic future relies on Penn, and choosing a team to redesign the station is another significant milestone towards achieving Governor Hochul's vision for improving both Penn and the public realm that surrounds it."   

• Empire Station Complex (Urbanize NYC)