Why was old Penn Station demolished?
In 1963, the above-ground portion of the station was demolished to make room for a massive sports arena, Madison Square Garden. Its reputation as an architectural masterpiece quickly faded. Amtrak’s long overdue rail repairs threaten to worsen a headache for the 650,000 people who travel through Penn Station each day.
When was old Penn Station demolished?
Pennsylvania Station (1910–1963)
| Pennsylvania Station | |
|---|---|
| Opened | September 8, 1910 (LIRR) November 27, 1910 (PRR) |
| Key dates | |
| Construction | 1904–1910 |
| Demolition | 1963–1968 |
What happens to the old Penn Station?
What’s happening with the existing station? The old Penn Station will continue to serve New Jersey Transit commuters, as well as Amtrak travelers between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m., when the Moynihan Train Hall will be closed to the public. The facility has been undergoing cosmetic and structural renovation in recent years.
What remains of old Penn Station?
Fortunately for posterity, the Brooklyn Museum has two remnants of the original Penn Station: the “Night” half of a “Day and Night” sculpture, standing eleven feet tall, and a partial marble column from the waiting hall displayed in the Steinberg Family Sculpture Garden.
Why are there two Penn Stations?
In the early 20th century, different railroad companies typically built separate stations, especially in major cities or towns, so the stations usually took the name of the companies. If various railroads cooperated to use the same station, the combined depot often took the name Union Station.
Did Penn Station get demolished?
When Pennsylvania Station first opened in 1910, it was a far cry from the confusing maze of underground tunnels that it is today. But just 54 years later, that Penn Station was demolished, replaced by the current transit hub that is undergoing a major overhaul due to its ineffective—if not downright unpleasant—design.
Will Penn Station be rebuilt?
Rebuilding the station will cost an estimated $3 billion to $3.5 billion. This is a small price to pay given that more people pass through the station daily than LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark Airports combined.
What did the demolition of Penn Station symbolize?
Ironically, its destruction is what truly ushered in a new era of impassioned preservationism in New York. The waiting room of the original McKim, Mead, and White designed Penn Station. The Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) had a late start.
Is Penn Station NYC safe?
Penn Station is certainly safe. but the Amtrak Lounge is like spending the night at an airport gate. The Amtrak Lounge is a 3 on a scale of 10. It’s safe outside the station.
Is Penn Station being rebuilt?
The MTA, Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT (NJT) have unveiled new reconstruction options for transforming Penn Station into a world-class, 21st-century transportation hub, as part of the Empire Station Complex.
When was the old Penn Station in New York City demolished?
There was a time when New York City had the gateway it deserved. Demolished more than half a century ago, the former Pennsylvania Station by McKim, Mead & White was hardly the first great building in town to face the wrecking ball.
Who was the architect of New York Penn Station?
Cassatt’s design for New York Penn Station was inspired by the Gare d’Orsay, a Beaux-Arts style station in Paris, though he planned for the new terminal to be twice as large. He commissioned Charles McKim of the New York architectural firm McKim, Mead & White to design the terminal.
How did the Pennsylvania Station get its name?
Pennsylvania Station was a historic railroad station in New York City, named for the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), its builder and original tenant.
What was the purpose of the old Penn Station?
Inside and out, the building was meant to be uplifting and monumental — like the Parthenon on steroids — its train shed and waiting room a skylit symphony of almost overwhelming civic nobility, announcing the entrance to a modern metropolis. The vast train shed and main waiting room of the old Penn Station, circa 1910. Credit…