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#1 CNJRoss

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Posted 07 January 2016 - 11:34 AM

Progressive Railroading, 1/7:
 

Cuomo announces $3 billion renovation of NYC's Penn Station

 

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo yesterday unveiled an ambitious $3 billion plan to transform New York City's Penn Station and the Farley Post Office Building across the street into a "world-class transportation hub" in midtown Manhattan. 

 

The existing station, which sits beneath Madison Square Garden, will be "dramatically" renovated, according to a press release issued by Cuomo's office.

 

 

trainhall.jpgA rendering of the new train hall.
Photo: Gov. Cuomo's Flickr account

 



#2 CNJRoss

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Posted 07 January 2016 - 11:44 AM

NY Gov. Cuomo press release:
 

6th Proposal of Governor Cuomo's 2016 Agenda: Transform Penn Station and Farley Post Office Building Into a World-Class Transportation Hub

 

Unprecedented Public-Private Partnership to Expedite Approximately $3 Billion Project

 

Solicitations Being Issued to Developers This Week, Due Back in 90 Days; Groundbreaking Targeted for This Year

 

 

 

Governor Cuomo unveiled the sixth signature proposal of his 2016 agenda: transform Penn Station and the historic James A. Farley Post Office into a world-class transportation hub. The project, known as the Empire Station Complex, will feature significant passenger improvements, including first-class amenities, natural light, increased train capacity and decreased congestion, and improved signage to dramatically enhance the travel experience. The project – which is anticipated to cost $3 billion – will be expedited by a public-private partnership in order to break ground this year and complete substantial construction within the next three years.

 

The original Penn Station first opened in 1910, and its underground areas have remained in continual use since then. In its current form, the station is designed to accommodate 200,000 daily passengers. In practice, it is the busiest train station in North America, serving more than 650,000 passengers every day, and is plagued by widespread pedestrian congestion and outdated facilities. The Governor’s proposal will address these current shortcomings and transform the facility into a modern, iconic gateway to New York that is capable of meeting the demands of increased ridership in the 21st century. 

 

“Penn Station is the heart of New York’s economy and transportation network, but it has been outdated, overcrowded, and unworthy of the Empire State for far too long,” said Governor Cuomo. “We want to build Penn Station to be better than it ever was, and that is exactly what we are going to do. This proposal will fundamentally transform Penn Station for the 21st century, and we are excited to move forward with the project in the days to come.”

 

The Governor discussed the Empire Station proposal at an event today in Madison Square Garden. The proposal is described below.

 

Penn Station Redevelopment: The existing Penn Station facility, which lies beneath Madison Square Garden and between 7th and 8th Avenues, will be dramatically renovated. The project will widen existing corridors, reconfiguring ticketing and waiting areas, improve connectivity between the lower levels and street level, bring natural light into the facility, improve signage, simplify navigation and reduce congestion, and expand and upgrade the retail offerings and passenger amenities on all levels of the station. The new station will include Wi-Fi, modernized train information displays and streamlined ticketing.

Several design alternatives will be considered, including major exterior renovations involving 33rd street, 7th avenue, 8th avenue, and/or Madison Square Garden Theater. Renderings of all of these options are available in the Governor’s presentation here.

Farley Post Office Redevelopment: As part of the Governor’s proposal, the Farley Post Office, which sits across 8th Avenue from Penn Station, will be redeveloped into a state-of-the-art train hall for Amtrak, the new train hall, with services for passengers of the Long Island Rail Road, New Jersey Transit and the new Air Train to LaGuardia Airport. The train hall will be connected to Penn Station via an underground pedestrian concourse, and increase the station’s size by 50 percent. At 210,000 square feet, the train hall will be roughly equivalent in size to the main room at Grand Central Terminal. The new facility will offer more concourse and circulation space, include retail space and modern amenities such as Wi-Fi and digital ticketing, and feature 30 new escalators, elevators and stairs to speed passenger flow. The Governor’s proposal also calls for an iconic yet energy-efficient architectural design.

A rendering from the inside of the proposed train hall is available here.

Public-Private Partnership: The simultaneous redevelopments will be advanced by a public-private partnership on an unprecedented scale, resulting in one holistic and interconnected world-class station. Solicitations to developers will be issued by the state (which owns the Farley Post Office) and Amtrak (which owns Penn Station) this week. Responses are due in 90 days.

The construction cost is expected to be in excess of $3 billion, including $2 billion to redevelop Farley and Penn into a world-class transportation hub and at least $1 billion for ancillary retail and commercial developments between 7th and 9th avenues. $325 million of this will come from government sources, including USDOT, Port Authority and Amtrak. Nearly all of the work will be funded by private investment, in exchange for an interest in the long-term revenue stream generated by the retail and commercial rents.  n light of years the public has waited for this important infrastructure upgrade, work will be expedited, with completion expected in the next three years, and Farley opening before Penn Station’s redevelopment is finished. State and federal environmental review has already been completed on redevelopment plans for the Farley Building, clearing a major hurdle and lining the project up for work to begin.

The redevelopment builds on work already underway beneath the Farley Building, in which construction of the lower concourse and underground connections to the subway and Penn Station is on budget and on schedule, for completion in the fall of 2016. With the structural steel completed in January 2015, more than 300 workers are now on site each day fitting out the new commuter concourse west of 8th Avenue in preparation for its opening next fall. Renovations to Penn Station and redevelopment of the Farley building are expected to begin after that work is completed. 

The new complex will also lay the foundation for a further expansion south, connecting to the Gateway Project.

Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman said: “Amtrak appreciates Governor Cuomo’s leadership, vision and commitment to the expansion of passenger rail capacity here in New York. We’re proud to work closely with the Governor, the Empire State Development Corporation and others on his team to help lead a rail renaissance in Manhattan. With the development of Moynihan station as Amtrak’s new intercity train hall and the pursuit of Penn Station improvements for the hundreds of thousands of daily commuters that use our facility, we are setting the stage for the future expansion of rail service and ridership that will be made possible by the Gateway Program.”

Senator Brad Hoylman said: "Under Governor Cuomo’s ambitious proposal to transform Moynihan Station into a modern transportation hub, no longer will commuters have to scuttle into our great city like rats, as the Yale architectural critic Vincent Scully memorably wrote after the demolition of the old Penn Station in 1963. Not only will the Governor’s plan correct this historic wrong and create a train station worthy of the city it serves, but a new Moynihan Station will be a key driver for economic development in the entire Metro Region. I thank Governor Cuomo for his bold vision to redevelop Moynihan and look forward to working with him to make it a reality."

Senator Adriano Espaillat said: "Penn Station is in dire need of a complete overhaul and Governor Andrew Cuomo's plan to remake this vital terminal into a 21st century transportation hub is the right approach. I look forward to working with the Governor to bring a better experience to the hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who use Penn Station every day. I am very pleased to see this important protect get on the right track."

Assembly Member Richard N. Gottfried: “I welcome Governor Cuomo’s effort to get the project moving again. The redevelopment of Penn Station and Moynihan is extraordinarily complex, both physically and organizationally. It will have substantial impact on the surrounding area, including pedestrian and vehicle traffic and land use. In addition to all the on-site transportation entities, it is crucial that the surrounding community and the City be actively involved in the planning.”



#3 KevinKorell

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Posted 07 January 2016 - 12:09 PM

Second Avenue Sagas, 1/7/16:

Capacity issues draw the short straw in Cuomo’s Empire Station Complex plan for Penn Station


Call it the return of Moynihan Station. Call it the Empire strikes back. Call it an ambitious plan to expand Penn Station (because of those “underwhelming dining options”). Call it misguided. Whatever you prefer, something seems to be coalescing around Midtown West’s train station, and it is all thanks to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s desire to move us into and out of New York City.


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#4 KevinKorell

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Posted 07 January 2016 - 12:29 PM

Moynihan Station, despite the late Senator's contributions, is a name that probably never would have stuck. Whatever shakes out from this will always be thought of as an expanded Penn Station.

Now. There's Madison Square Garden, and there's the Theater at Madison Square Garden (formerly Felt Forum). I think it is unclear how much of that has to be moved to make way for the improvements they discuss. If part of the legacy Penn Station remains underneath the larger Madison Square Garden, then I don't see how sunlight can be brought into the facility. There have been separate news items on building a replacement MSG someplace else, which would then reopen the Penn Station area to either build upward using air rights, or leave it undeveloped but for sunlight to come in through windows in the roof.

It does seem political that Gov. Cuomo wants this started and completed during his administration, but if that were the case why didn't he start this sooner when he took office? He's really banking on zero delays and on the separate contracts all coming together to put out this project quickly. That usually just doesn't happen in New York.


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#5 KevinKorell

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Posted 27 September 2016 - 05:47 PM

I am not sure how this story differs from what was discussed above 8 months ago, but here it is from New York, NY Times, 9/27/16:


Cuomo’s Vision for Revamped Penn Station: New Home for Amtrak and L.I.R.R.

 

For nearly a quarter-century, governors and mayors in New York have been stymied in their attempts to fix Pennsylvania Station, one of the busiest transit halls in the Western Hemisphere and one of the most crowded and confusing.

Current story



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#6 CNJRoss

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Posted 28 September 2016 - 10:59 AM

Progressive Railroading, 9/28:

 

Cuomo unveils $1.6 billion plan for new Penn Station complex
092816trainhall.jpg
A rendering of Penn Staton's new train hall     Photo Credit — Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office

 

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo yesterday unveiled a $1.6 billion overhaul of Manhattan's Pennsylvania Station and the Farley Post Office Building into a transportation complex that will feature a new train hall for Amtrak and commuter trains, new rail concourses and retail and office space.

Cuomo also announced the selection of the developer-builder team that will develop the Farley building into the 255,000 square-foot train hall, which will house passenger facilities for Amtrak and MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR).

 

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#7 CNJRoss

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Posted 28 September 2016 - 11:55 AM

NYMTA news release, 9/27:

 

Governor Cuomo Unveils New Pennsylvania Station-Farley Complex Including MTA Will Fully Redesign Both LIRR-Connected Subway Stations – the A,C,E and 1,2,3 at 34th Street
 
Governor Announces New Moynihan Train Hall Housing Both Amtrak and LIRR Ticketing and Waiting Areas, Governor Also Announces Reimagining of LIRR Concourse
 

 

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today unveiled sweeping plans for the complete transformation of the historic James A. Farley Post Office into a world-class transportation hub. At the Association for a Better New York, the Governor announced the selection of a developer-builder team including three companies, Related Companies, Vornado Realty LP, and Skanska AB to redevelop the Farley Building, creating a new 255,000 square foot Train Hall to house passenger facilities for the Long Island Rail Road and Amtrak.

 

In addition to constructing the Farley Train Hall, the Governor announced the joint venture will create 112,000 square feet of retail and nearly 588,000 square feet of office space within the Farley Building. Preconstruction work will begin this fall, with the new Train Hall expected to be completed by December 2020.

 

The Governor also announced that the MTA will at the same time initiate the comprehensive redesign of the LIRR’s existing 33rd Street concourse at Penn Station and an extensive renovation to the adjacent Seventh and Eighth Avenue subway stations. Construction on the LIRR concourse and the subway stations will conclude by or before completion of the work on the Farley Train Hall. The redesign will include nearly tripling the width of the existing corridor, which will significantly decrease congestion and result in notably higher ceilings – providing bright lighting, new way-finding, ticketing and informational systems.

 

“New York’s tomorrow depends on what we do today, and the new Moynihan Train Hall will be a world-class 21st century transportation hub,” said Governor Cuomo. “With more than twice the passengers of all JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark airports combined, the current Penn Station is overcrowded, decrepit, and claustrophobic. The Moynihan Train Hall will have more space than Grand Central’s main concourse, housing both Amtrak and LIRR ticketing and waiting areas, along with state-of-the-art security features, a modern, digital passenger experience, and a host of dining and retail options. This is not a plan – this is what’s going to happen. People are going to walk through this station and recognize that this is New York.”

 

View the Governor's presentation unveiling the new Pennsylvania Station-Farley Complex at this link: https://drive.google...iew?usp=sharing.

 

Moynihan Train Hall

In January, Empire State Development, the MTA, LIRR and Amtrak issued an RFP soliciting proposals for the comprehensive redevelopment of the historic Farley Building, including a Train Hall and the surrounding office and retail space. RFP responses were received in April and reviewed by a panel of private and public experts from the real estate, construction, design and finance fields.

 

Related, Vornado, and Skanska have all provided guarantees to complete the $1.595 billion project on time and, as part of the agreement, will pay the state a total of approximately $600 million in recognition to the value of the development opportunity within the Farley Building. The remainder of the project will be supported by $570 million from Empire State Development and $425 million from a combination of Amtrak, LIRR, Port Authority and federal government sources.

 

The Moynihan Train Hall will include shops and restaurants located under a new skylight on the building’s historic and architecturally dramatic steel trusses. The building will increase floor space 50 percent from Penn Station, and service riders on the LIRR, Amtrak and eventually accommodate passengers from Metro-North. A total of nine platforms and 17 tracks will be accessible from the Train Hall.

 

In addition to the Train Hall, RVS will redevelop the entire Farley Post Office Building to include approximately 700,000 square feet of office and retail space which will result in the creation of thousands of new construction and permanent jobs.

 

The project will use union labor and has committed to fully meet the Governor’s nation-leading goal of 30 percent of the work completed by Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises.

 

Penn Station

A dramatic redesign of the LIRR portions of Penn Station will significantly improve passenger experience and circulation. The plan will include nearly tripling the width of the 33rd Street Corridor, which is among the busiest sections of Penn Station and stretches along the station’s lower level from Seventh to Eighth Avenue. Other improvements will include upgraded lighting and wayfinding, and digital screens to convey information and create a modern passenger experience. It is anticipated that the majority of the corridor improvements will be completed simultaneous to the Train Hall’s opening, with other elements completed sooner. Construction of the new LIRR corridor will cost an estimated $170 million.

 

The MTA will issue an RFP for the preliminary design of Penn Station improvements to pre-qualified consulting firms today. A contract is expected to be awarded by the end of 2016.

 

The transformational redesign also includes upgrading the two subway stations at Penn Station. Many of these improvements to subway stations on Seventh and Eighth Avenues are expected as early as 2018 and will cost approximately $50 million.

 

The first phase of construction, to create a concourse west of Eighth Avenue, is nearing completion. The concourse will provide direct access to LIRR and Amtrak tracks and will connect the future Moynihan Train Hall to Penn Station underground via 33rd Street. New plazas and street level entrances into the Farley Building on either side of the monumental staircase will provide access to this new, lower concourse as well as speed boarding and exiting for passengers.

 

In January, Empire State Development, Amtrak, and the MTA issued a Request for Expressions of Interest for redeveloping Penn Station. As Amtrak relocates to the Moynihan Train Hall, the RFEI responses provided ideas for the future proposed redevelopment of the current Amtrak concourse that will be incorporated into concepts previously suggested by the railway operators. ESD will partner with Amtrak on the creation of an RFP for the concourse.

 

Ultimately, all of these coordinated efforts will result in a bolder, fully modernized Penn-Farley Complex, with increased passenger capacity, inviting entrances and access points, and a state-of-the-art Train Hall at the Farley Building across Eighth Avenue. All work will be compatible with future plans to add platform and track capacity to Penn Station in conjunction with the completion of the Gateway Program.

 

“Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, New York State is rebuilding, replacing, and expanding vital infrastructure in exciting and fiscally responsible ways,” said Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Howard Zemsky. “The new Penn-Farley Complex will have office space, retail stores, and restaurants, and will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs.”

 

“The new Farley Train Hall will streamline travel into and through the region for the 230,000 LIRR daily passengers and millions of subway riders through the vastly improved Seventh and Eighth Avenues stations,” said MTA Chairman & CEO Tom Prendergast. “Governor Cuomo has turned what for decades was merely rhetoric about investing in infrastructure into reality, and the improved MTA travel experience and resulting regional economy boost will be felt long into the future.”

 

Amtrak Board Chairman Anthony R. Coscia said, “We applaud Governor Cuomo's leadership in transforming the Farley Post Office building into a state-of-the-art rail station. In addition to the new Moynihan Train Hall, which will serve as Amtrak’s future station in Manhattan, this project will allow for enhancements at Penn Station that will significantly improve the customer experience for its many users. Taken together with the infrastructure improvements being advanced under the Gateway Program, Amtrak is committed to working with New York State and other key stakeholders to advance the investments befitting America’s busiest train station.”

 

Congressman José E. Serrano said, “This important effort will expand New Yorkers’ access to state of the art, safe, and reliable transportation. Renovating the Moynihan Train Hall, the LIRR Concourse, and the Amtrak Portion of Penn Station will modernize a key part of New York’s public transportation. The Moynihan Train Hall project had been on hold for many years and I am glad to see Governor Cuomo taking the necessary steps to move it forward,” said Congressman Serrano.

 

Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney said, “I am thrilled that Governor Cuomo has come forward with a bold new plan to renovate and transform Penn Station and move ahead with Moynihan Train Hall in the Farley Building,” said Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney. “Anyone who has spent time in the existing structure of Penn Station can see how woefully inadequate it is for the needs of the hundreds of thousands of commuters who pass through it every day, and the addition of the Farley Complex will make for a much more pleasant experience for passengers on Amtrak and LIRR, and a more pleasant transfer to local subways. After 20 years of waiting, we will now have a train station we can be proud of.”

 

Senate Majority Leader John J. Flanagan said, “Penn Station is the busiest transportation hub in the country, and this new complex will allow New York City to meet the demand with state-of-the-art facilities and a more modern infrastructure. When this project is finished, the Penn Station-Farley Complex renovation will significantly ease the commute for thousands of New Yorkers, and create hundreds of new jobs.”

 

State Senate Co-Coalition Leader Jeff Klein said, "Penn Station needs a makeover and Governor Cuomo's plan will upgrade our infrastructure to finally bring our railways into modernity, enhancing passenger experience with shops, restaurants and upgraded technology. Today marks the first step in two decades with construction commencing this fall at the Moynihan Train Hall and with other exciting upgrades to come.”

 

State Senator and Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “Greater utilization of mass transportation options will help save commuter time and money and reduce vehicle congestion and pollution. Additionally, the renovations and new construction will lead to more jobs and increased tourism. I commend Governor Cuomo for this wise infrastructure investment to help transform the James Farley Post Office into a mass-transit hub and for his efforts to help renovate Moynihan Train Hall.”

 

Senator Adriano Espaillat said, “A gateway to many of New York’s transportation arteries, Penn Station is integral to the daily lives of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, and this project will dramatically improve their travel experiences. New York City is the greatest city in the world and we deserve a new Penn Station to showcase everything New York City has to offer. I applaud Governor Cuomo for this visionary announcement, and look forward to a new, transformed Penn-Farley complex.”

 

Senator Brad Hoylman, "Penn Station is a New York landmark, but for years it has not lived up to the standards we value as New Yorkers. Across our state, Governor Cuomo’s visionary plan for 21st century infrastructure - from our upstate airports to the new Penn-Farley Complex - is taking shape and fortifying our transportation network. We are building for tomorrow, and Penn-Farley is a cornerstone in this tremendous plan. Now, New Yorkers can look forward to walking through the station's corridors, enjoying modern amenities and getting to and from their destinations with greater ease."

 

Assemblymember Richard Gottfried said, “Thanks to Governor Cuomo’s leadership and vision to transform New York’s infrastructure, we can look forward to a new travel experience for residents and travelers. This state-of-the-art transit center will make travel easier, more efficient and less crowded for everyone. I applaud the Governor for pushing this project forward and we look forward to the creation of construction jobs throughout development and permanent jobs at the new hub once completed.”

 

New York City Councilman Corey Johnson said, “With the redesign of the Penn-Farley complex, Governor Cuomo has taken a major step forward in making his vision for a better New York a reality. With new shopping opportunities, increased passenger capacity and state of the art facilities, the new Penn-Farley complex will not only enhance the experience of the every-day traveler, but invite visitors to a New York that is bigger, better and on the move.”



#8 KevinKorell

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Posted 07 October 2016 - 12:01 PM

Second Avenue Sagas, 10/6/16:

Cuomo’s new Moynihan Station plan restarts debate over Penn’s future


It’s hard to find a space in New York City transit planning as hotly contested as Penn Station. The destruction of the original Beaux-Arts masterpiece hangs over the city and echoes throughout today’s conservationism and landmarking process, and the current Penn Station rivals Laguardia as the city’s most scorned transportation space. Shoved under Madison Square Garden and operated as three separate fiefdoms by Amtrak, the LIRR and New Jersey Transit, the current iteration is a drab entryway to the city with poor wayfinding and passenger flow. It is constantly subject to fanciful ideas for improvement.

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#9 CNJRoss

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Posted 11 November 2016 - 08:08 AM

LIRR news release 11/9:

 

Four Preliminary Proposals Received to Modernize LIRR Level of Penn Station
Award of Design Contract to Happen by End of Year; Construction starts in 2017
 
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) today announced that it has received four design proposals from qualified engineering firms for the modernization of the LIRR’s level in Penn Station as part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s sweeping plans to transform Penn Station and the historic James A. Farley Post Office into a world-class transportation hub.
 
Working with the LIRR, the winning firm will have six months to put the finishing touches on a design-build plan that will allow a general contractor to begin work in 2017.
 
The MTA and the LIRR will announce the winning design firm before the end of the year.
 
“This marks another major step in Governor Cuomo's transformational plan to reimagine Penn Station and to change the experience for everyone using Long Island Rail Road,” said MTA Chairman & CEO Thomas F. Prendergast.
 
The dramatic redesign of the LIRR portions of Penn Station will significantly improve passenger experience and circulation. The plan will include nearly tripling the width of the 33rd Street Corridor, which is among the busiest sections of Penn Station and stretches along the station’s lower level from Seventh to Eighth Avenue. Other improvements will include upgraded lighting and wayfinding and digital screens to convey information and create a modern passenger experience.
 
The majority of the corridor improvements will be completed simultaneous to the Train Hall’s opening, with other elements completed sooner. Construction of the new LIRR corridor will cost an estimated $170 million. The transformational redesign also includes upgrading the two subway stations at Penn Station. Many of these improvements to subway stations on Seventh and Eighth Avenues are expected as early as 2018.
 
More than 500,000 visitors pass through Penn Station each day, most as commuters or travelers on the LIRR, New York City Subway, Amtrak, and NJ Transit.
 
In September, Governor Cuomo outlined his visionary public-private partnership to turn Penn Station into a world class transportation hub, opening up the LIRR complex and turning the Farley Building into a sun-drenched train hall with a balcony of retail stores as an important element in the revitalized complex. The Farley would be topped by a new transparent glass roof, but its classic Beaux-Arts exterior, very much reminiscent of the original Penn Station, would be retained.
 
The Governor also announced the selection of a developer-builder team including three companies, Related Companies, Vornado Realty LP, and Skanska AB to redevelop the Farley Building, creating a new 255,000 square foot Train Hall to house passenger facilities for the Long Island Rail Road and Amtrak. The entire project would be completed by December 2020.


#10 CNJRoss

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Posted 15 June 2017 - 09:08 PM

​The New York Times,​ 6/15/17:

In New L.I.R.R. Concourse, Commuters Can’t Quite Forget Transit Woes

 

 

 

Some ran to catch the next train. Others walked slowly. But just about everyone could not stop themselves from staring at the new signs and large digital screens displaying train schedules and images of New York City neighborhoods.

 

“I’m feeling like I’m in another country,” said Fiona Germain, who lives on Long Island, as she stood in the new Long Island Rail Road concourse inside the James A. Farley Post Office Building across the street from Pennsylvania Station. “When I travel to Europe, the stations are very clean. This kind of looks like it versus what we had, which was so beat-up and ugly.”

 

SNIP

 

16MOYNIHAN2-master675.jpg

 

The Moynihan Station project aims to reduce some of the congestion at Penn Station, which also houses New Jersey Transit and serves more than 600,000 passengers per day. Credit Harrison Hill/The New York Times

 

SNIP

 

The new railroad concourse, which officially opened at 6 a.m. Thursday in the post office building on the intersection of Eighth Avenue and West 33rd Street, is the first phase of the Moynihan Station, which is scheduled to be completed by December 2020. The train hall will eventually also serve Amtrak riders.

 

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