Artistic representation of the hall in the Moynihan Train Hall.
For a symbol of life-changing change in New York City next year, hundreds of thousands of East Coast train travelers and commuters need to look no further than the opening of January 1 of the Moynihan Train Hall.
The $ 1.6 billion project expands Penn Station, the nation’s busiest rail terminal, by 23,690 square feet to accommodate passengers from Long Island Rail Road and Amtrak. The new facility is designed to provide more space for the 650,000 people who traveled through the station every day before the pandemic.
The hall is named after the late U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who disapproved of the destruction of the above-ground portion of the historic Penn Station in 1964, which gave way to Madison Square Garden. After the Beaux-Arts original was destroyed, architectural historian Vincent Scully lamented: “People entered the city like a god. One is now coming in like a rat. “
Here are answers to some of the biggest questions about the project:
What can commuters expect?
Developers expanded Penn Station into the 108-year-old James A. Farley Post Office building, a landmark designed by McKim, Mead & White, directly across Eighth Avenue from Penn Station. Passengers will enter a large central atrium surmounted by a 92 meter high skylight. There is a dedicated lounge for nursing mothers and free broadband WiFi throughout.
How does commuting change?
Beginning January 1, all Long Island Rail Road and Amtrak trains will be served by the 17 tracks accessible from the train concourse. Ultimately, the facility will also serve Metro North commuters. Each operator provides customer service and waiting areas.
Amtrak is expanding its passenger services to the new concourse. The opening may coincide with the arrival of new later this year Acela high-speed trains that will serve the Boston-Washington corridor at speeds of up to 165 mph. Amenities include a manned lounge available to all Acela first class or sleeping car passengers, plus members of Amtrak’s reward plans.
How do passengers get from Moynihan to Penn and vice versa?
The main entrance from Amtrak to Moynihan Train Hall is located halfway down the street on 31st Street. In bad weather, customers can walk between Moynihan and Penn Station at LIRR Hall level through Moynihan Lower Hall. Or customers can exit Penn Station on Eighth Avenue, cross that street and enter the train concourse.
Is it accessible to travelers with disabilities?
Travelers with disabilities can use any entrance to access the train concourse. There will also be ground floors on the platforms. It offers Red Cap assistance, TTD communication for the deaf and stationary wheelchair service.
Who pays?
The project is funded with $ 550 million from New York State; $ 420 million from Amtrak, the Metropolitan Transit Authority, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and a federal grant; and $ 630 million from the developers, Related Cos. And Vornado Realty Trust.
What will happen to the existing station?
The old Penn Station will continue to operate between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. for New Jersey Transit commuters, as well as Amtrak travelers, when the Moynihan Train Hall will be closed to the public. The facility has undergone cosmetic and structural renovations in recent years.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has a plan to expand rail capacity Penn Station with about 40% and bought land south of the existing station to add four train halls and eight sections of track.
What other work is being done?
The overhaul also includes creating a 700,000 square foot mixed-use development with commercial, retail and dining space. It is part of a $ 2.5 billion project that includes renovations and upgrades to the existing Penn Station and adjacent subway stations.