The groundbreaking on SOM’s $550 million William H. Gray III 30th Street Station redevelopment was held in Philadelphia this month in advance of the next 50-year leg of the historic building’s journey in service to commuters who first began making use of it in 1933.

Gilbane will be directing the design-build for the project, which will last at the station through the end of 2027. By that time, its passenger capacity will have doubled to 25 million per year. The project covers approximately 500,000 square feet overall and is part of a larger $10 billion District Plan that will add retail amenities and other improvements to the Market Street Plaza outside.

According to Amtrak, the scope of the redevelopment includes:

• modernizing and expanding station food & beverage and retail offerings
• improving station operations and enhancing the customer experience
• upgrading The Porch landscaping and community amenities
• modernizing Amtrak corporate offices
• enhancing building infrastructure to achieve and maintain a state of good repair

The work follows the new Moynihan Train Hall and Penn Station expansion in New York and will be SOM’s third rail hub project completed since 2018, following the trio of Florida Brightline stations. 

Also in the Northeast Corridor, Beyer Blinder Belle/Grimshaw and Arup are preparing a larger $8.8 billion expansion of Washington Union Station for 2040. The city of New Haven is putting its own Union Station redevelopment plans back into focus before selecting a design team, and Boston’s new Pelli Clarke & Partners South Station Tower project and station improvements are advancing toward completion for 2025.