Feds pick design for Penn Station rebuild, won't move Madison Square Garden

Amtrak selected Penn Transformation Partners as master developer to oversee redesign and reconstruction of Penn Station. The group includes Vornado, which owns much of the surrounding land, and Halmar, which is building the MTA’s Second Avenue subway extension. The plan advances the rebuild after Amtrak took control from the MTA. The proposal would upgrade Madison Square Garden’s exterior with a classical look, add a new glass entrance on Eighth Avenue by removing the Theater at The Garden, and raise train hall ceilings by knocking out interior levels. The redesign would create opportunities for new retailers and improve commuter circulation around the station, drawing inspiration from the original 1910 Penn Station’s architectural features.

"Amtrak announced it selected a group called Penn Transformation Partners as the "master developer" to oversee the redesign and reconstruction of the busiest train station in the country. The group includes real estate company Vornado, which owns much of the land around Penn Station, and construction company Halmar, which is currently working to build the MTA's Second Avenue subway extension into East Harlem."

"Amtrak officials said the plan would upgrade the exterior of Madison Square Garden with a "classical look," add a new glass entrance on Eighth Avenue by removing the Theater at The Garden and knock out levels in the train hall's interior to raise its ceilings. The federal railroad said the redesign would also create opportunities for new retailers and give commuters an easier walk around the station."

"Since the original Beaux-Arts Penn Station was torn down in the 1960s, it's been an eyesore and inconvenience for millions of commuters who have struggled to navigate its dark and dingy corridors. The announcement represents the biggest step forward in the rebuild of the notoriously dreary transit hub since the Trump administration took control of the project from the MTA last year."

"In Wednesday's announcement, Amtrak said the winning design "takes inspiration from this lost architectural gem while fitting with the major structures there currently." The original Penn Station, which opened in 1910, was regarded as an architectural masterpiece with high ceilings and marble columns before it was demolished."

Read at Gothamist