In August of 2016, Skanska completed the $220 million Phase 1 of the Moynihan Train Hall at the James A. Farley Post Office. A month later, Skanska was selected to complete the second phase of the project as part of a developer-builder team that includes Related Companies and Vornado Realty LP. The $1.26 billion project is targeted for completion in 2020 and includes the total renovation of 1.3 million-SF, ultimately expanding Penn Station’s total floor space by more than 50 percent. Skanska will construct a new 225,000-SF train hall to house passenger facilities, including waiting areas, ticketing areas for the Long Island Rail Road and Amtrak, security spaces and 112,000-SF of retail space, as well as expanded access to nine platforms and 17 tracks serving the Long Island Rail Road and Amtrak.
The centerpiece of the building will be a 92-foot high barrel-vaulted skylight above the former post office’s historic steel trusses, which will require 775,000 pounds of steel reinforcement and the installation of nearly 2,200 individual glass panels. Renovations to the historic post office will include civil, structural, architectural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing, as well as demolition of existing structural and architectural elements to create a light-filled, open venue for commuters. Historic restoration of the entire exterior and adjacent Annex is also included in the project scope. In accordance with Governor Cuomo’s goals, Skanska has committed to using union labor and engaging a percentage of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises.
Phases 1 and 2 of the Farley Building’s Moynihan Train Hall project are critical to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s vision for the Empire Station Complex—a comprehensive plan to transform the iconic Pennsylvania Station and its surrounding buildings into a world-class transportation hub. Skanska’s contributions have a direct effect on revitalizing regional transportation, relieving pressure from the overcrowded Penn Station and providing access to much-needed amenities for passengers and tourists across the five boroughs. As the focal point of Governor Cuomo’s vision, the new Train Hall—with its architecturally imposing skylight—will simultaneously pave the way for New York’s future and serve as a living monument to its past, filling a void of civic pride that was created when the original Penn Station was demolished half a century ago.
The skill of our builders and the trust earned by our Phase I and Phase II teams has contributed to Skanska being selected by developers Vornado Realty Trust and Related Companies as the core and shell contractor for the third and final phase of the program in late 2018. Skanska will develop the core and shell for approximately 79,000 square meters of interior office and retail space and complete the restoration of the Farley Building’s historic façade. Skanska is also responsible for the development and installation of new mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and other building infrastructure.
