Years in the making, the expansion of Penn Station into the old James A. Farley post office building is on pace to be completed by New Year's Eve, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Sunday.
Train operations at the new Moynihan Train Hall are expected to begin January 1st, according to the governor's office. The $1.6 billion project turns the century-old Farley post office building into a transit hub increasing Penn Station's size by 50%.
"New Yorkers have known for decades that Penn Station needed to be reimagined—and after years of work, the Moynihan Train Hall will open on time and on budget at the end of 2020," Cuomo said in a statement.
Construction began in 2017 on the train hall, named for New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who advocated for the project for years. The expansion plan was talked about for decades, and when it finally moved forward, it was criticized as a "taxpayer-funded mall" that did little to address train service. In January, Cuomo unveiled a blueprint to add eight new tracks and increase Penn Station's capacity by 40% through acquiring an entire block south of the Midtown transit hub for a new terminal.
The Moynihan Train Hall is connected to Penn Station via underground passageways, and features a 92-foot high glass skylight, expanded waiting areas for travelers, free WiFi, a lounge area for nursing mothers, and other features.
Amtrak released this video showing what commuters can expect:
The governor's office said the team was able to avoid COVID-19 delays due to "implementation of significant health safety protocols and innovate work schedules" to protect workers. The project was a partnership between Empire State Development, Vornado Realty Trust, Related Companies, Skanska, the MTA and LIRR, Amtrak, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
"This monumental accomplishment is a shot of hope as we come out of one of darkest periods in our history and sends a clear message to the world that while we suffered greatly as a result of this once-in-a-century health crisis, the pandemic did not stop us from dreaming big and building for the future," Cuomo said.
Despite the sliver of good news for the region's transit system, the Gateway project—which would build out a new tunnel connecting NJ to NY and repair the existing Hurricane Sandy-damaged tunnel—remains stalled without federal support to fund the multi-billion dollar project.
Politico reported earlier this month that the release of a controversial report showing the Gateway project may not require building a second tunnel spurred fears the project would only be further stalled and make it more difficult to get federal funding, all while the existing tunnels continue to decay. Cuomo did not express support for one option or another in that project.
"There is a question of rehabilitating these tunnels so they're safe," Cuomo said the Sunday before Thanksgiving at a Manhattan press briefing. "We have a report that says they can be rehabilitated. ... There is also a desire by Amtrak and many people to build new tunnels, to have additional access to New York, which I think is a good idea. But one is not the enemy of the other."
