The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and its railroad partners have issued a Notice to Proceed to begin preliminary design on the New York Penn Station Reconstruction Project, which will transform the western hemisphere’s busiest rail station into a world-class transit hub.
MTA, with partners New Jersey Transit and Amtrak, awarded a contract for the redesign of Penn Station to a joint venture led by FXCollaborative Architects LLP and WSP USA Inc., with the British architect John McAslan + Partners as collaborating architect.
The joint venture developed the Penn Station Master Plan, which incorporated input from project partners. The Master Plan proposes a comprehensive set of solutions to the existing deficiencies of the station that impede safe and efficient movement of passengers, underutilization of property such as the mid-block taxiway and considers foot traffic patterns to focus on improvements that will best serve users of the station in a financially efficient way.
Project stakeholders noted the existing station’s systems are outdated and do not meet energy efficiency standards, air quality standards or standards of comfort. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul explained the urgency surrounding advancement of the project due to station use is expected to increase, with the completion of the Penn Station Access project in 2027.
"The project will dramatically upgrade passengers' experience by increasing ceiling heights, bringing in natural daylight and creating better wayfinding and access to platforms. This Notice to Proceed begins the process in which we will rebuild Penn Station responsibly and - most important - getting going before Metro-North service begins in just a few years,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber.
To coincide with the Notice to Proceed with preliminary design, updated renderings of the project were released.
