Cuomo Announces Opening of Moynihan Train Hall

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the opening of Moynihan Train Hall, a $1.6 billion project which transformed the more than 100-year-old James A. Farley Building into a 255,000-square-foot world-class transportation hub designed for the 21st& century in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. The new transportation hub increases the existing Penn Station rail complex’s concourse space by 50 percent. The hall is named for former U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

The East End Gateway to Penn Station at 33rd Street and 7th Avenue will open on New Year’s Eve as well, the governor announced.

“The completion of this gorgeous new train hall would be a special accomplishment at any time, but it’s an extraordinary accomplishment today because we’re at a place where no one ever envisioned being. This has been a traumatic year, both individually and collectively, and the question facing us has been, how do we respond?” Governor Cuomo said. “Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan was a man of true vision. He saw the potential in an underutilized post office and knew that if done correctly, this facility could not only give New York the transit hub it has long deserved, but serve as a monument to the public itself.”

The train hall’s stunning design is a unique blend of classical and contemporary, and features a one-acre sky-lit atrium, a signature clock, cutting-edge technology, clear wayfinding, full accessibility, and museum-caliber public art.

The project was accomplished through an innovative public-private partnership, and utilized a design-build approach to streamline construction and expedite completion. Construction generated an estimated economic impact of $5 billion, supporting more than 5,000 construction jobs and 11,000 indirect jobs.

The main hall that once served as the Post Office’s mail sorting room, showcasing a 92-foot-high skylight that holds an acre of glass. The new skylight soars above the train concourse, bathing passengers in natural light.

All LIRR and Amtrak trains are accessible from the train hall, while providing a direct connection to 9th& Avenue and the 8th& Avenue Subway.

A six-foot by 12-foot clock evokes nostalgia for the golden age of rail travel. Marble was used for the floors and walls come from the same Tennessee quarries that provided the marble for Grand Central Terminal over 100 years ago.

The project dramatically expands capacity and improves sanitation and air flow, and all platforms served have access to elevators. Moynihan Train Hall integrates clear, consistent, state-of-the-art wayfinding and messaging throughout the facility that provide up-to-the-minute transit information.

The Farley Building was one of the first buildings landmarked under preservation laws and the stone facade, windows, copper roof and steel trusses are among the many unique details that have been fully restored.