Amtrak, Local Developers Celebrate Start Of Construction At Penn Station
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Amtrak and developer Penn Station Partners are celebrating the start of renovations on the city's iconic train station.
WJZ's cameras caught scaffolding going up around Penn Station last week.
Starting in the summer, crews will make core and shell improvements to the building, such as a new roof, window restoration, updated stairs and ramps, and new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.
Dennis Newman, Amtrak's executive vice president of strategy, planning and accessibility, said the upgrades will "polish the station's appearance and increase overall functionality."
Two Baltimore-based real estate development firms, Beatty Development Group and Cross Street Partners, are heading up the project as Penn Station Partners.
In the fall, construction will begin on a station expansion in a parking lot across the tracks from the main hall. Once completed, the new structure will house ticketing and baggage for Amtrak, allowing the main concourse to be used for retail.
By 2023, the developers hope to have refurbished the three upper floors, currently unused, as office space, either for a single anchor tenant or multiple businesses.
"Watching this scaffolding go up and seeing this transformation start to unfold right before our eyes is an exciting development and a signal to everyone who passes through here that Penn Station's best days are yet to come," said Tim Pula, vice president of community development for Beatty Development Group.