A dramatic new makeover of Penn Station’s entrance at 7th Avenue and 32nd Street in Manhattan has been completed by Foster + Partners and AECOM for clients Amtrak and the Vornado Realty Trust. 

The rebuilding project expands the entrance’s width by 50 percent while making it safer and fully ADA-accessible for 600,000 daily users of what is considered the nation’s busiest train station. 

A new canopy and LED display were constructed at the entryway, which now features a wider staircase, new interior lighting feature, improved elevator access, and an added third escalator for enhanced circulation. Outside sidewalks and the surrounding plaza were also expanded. The project complements part of Vornado and MdeAS Architects’ redevelopment of the adjacent PENN 2 Tower while creating what Amtrak describes as a “sense of place and civic monumentality.”

In a press statement, Foster + Partners’ Head of Studio, Nigel Dancey, commented: “We have been master-planning, studying, and improving New York City’s public realm with Vornado to create a more inclusive and dynamic urban experience. This project is an important step towards a wider transformation that looks to enhance the quality of the spaces between buildings and make the busiest transportation hub in North America welcoming and inviting for all.”

Foster + Partners is also about to commence construction on their PENN 15 supertall opposite the station at 33rd Street and 7th Avenue early next year. The station’s $7 billion planned redevelopment has been paused for now as alternative proposals are being vetted. Another renovation of the Long Island Rail Road concourse was also recently completed by Skanska, AECOM, and SOM.

Amtrak has now spent a total of $300 million on capital improvements at Penn Station since the beginning of 2018.