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Old Posted Oct 18, 2011, 4:08 PM
dwntwnr dwntwnr is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 11
Hey! I was on the exact same tour as the guy who posted those Open House New York pics. It was super interesting. That place is cavernous. here are some interesting things they mentioned:

-The tracks already exist under Moynihan as they used to load the back ends of trains with mail so it was loaded out of the back while the passengers in the front would exit out of Penn station.

The phase after that will take an additional 4 years or so and will involve entrances at 31/8th and 33 and 8th corners, then the Inter-modal passage (the mid-block connecter between the old and newer buildings that will serve as the taxi drop off and central entrance to the tracks

-Construction will definitely start for the first four year phase next year. Mainly work on track ventilation to bring the area up to safety code for passengers. With the Hudson Yards being built there's nowhere for smoke to go in a fire so they're installing 4-6 huge fans to ventilate the substructure.

-The post office has been shrinking inside the building. the vast majority of it has been empty for the last ten years. Immensely spacious open rooms with elements (restrooms, etc.) that are largely unchanged from the 1910's.

-We should be seeing a new rendering next year. There will not be a potato chip glass structure in the inter-modal hall as anything that's visible from the street must keep in line with the look of the original landmarked structure.

-They are evaluating different options to make the station pay for itself (train stations in themselves don't make money) They mentioned making it a retail destination and perhaps installing a boutique hotel. They even mentioned a big-box store (Target, department stores) moving into the western side. This makes sense as the floor plates are immense.

-The station will serve intercity trains whereas Penn station across the street will primarily serve commuter traffic. The idea is that commuters don't spend time in the station so it is okay to be more functional than aesthetic, wheres the Moynihan will be an entrance into the city for travelers and will have amenities like Grand Central so that people enjoy spending time there.

-There will be some kind of pedestrian passageway that follows the course of 32nd street through the block.

I'm super excited for this project!
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