Penn Station makeover: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveils new main entrance design

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Thursday, May 16, 2019
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo unveils final design for new main entrance of Penn Station
Kemberly Richardson reports on the final design renderings for the new main entrance to Penn Station.

MANHATTAN, New York City (WABC) -- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo unveiled the final design renderings Thursday for the new main entrance to Penn Station.

The new entrance will be located at 33rd Street and 7th Avenue, providing much needed direct access to the Long Island Rail Road Main Concourse and the New York City Subway.

The project, which will begin construction in June, is expected to cost $570 million.

It will eliminate congestion by doubling customer access and egressing capacity to the LIRR level when it is completed in 2020, enhancing safety and security for passengers.

The governor also announced that the overall Penn Station redevelopment master plan - which includes the creation of the Moynihan Train Hall - continues to move forward and will fully transform Penn Station into a modern, world-class transportation hub.

"Architecturally, it's very powerful," Cuomo said. "It's 40 feet high, it's 65 feet deep, with a 32 foot overhang. It is all glass that is supported by steel cable and it is illuminated with different colors."

Cuomo said the redesign will help open up the entrance to the Long Island Rail Road concourse -- where it's 38 feet wide -- bringing in light and giving the concourse a sense of airiness and exposure to the light so people see the way out.

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