When first built, New York’s Pennsylvania Station was the largest train station in the world. In 1963 the ax of progress fell transforming it into the much-maligned subterranean labyrinth of today incapable of processing the 650,000 commuters it usually deals with on a daily basis. And now the next chapter begins! The 255,000 square foot Moynihan Train Station has officially opened to the public utilizing the Farley Post Office and so far it has been well received by critics and the public alike. Untapped New York’s popular virtual presentation on the past and future of Penn Station has now been fully updated to provide an in-depth look at the new train hall with first-hand video and pictures, and you can join the next virtual talk this week!
The new Moynihan Train Hall
Even with Moynihan opened, the question still remains: What happens to Penn Station? Join playwright, Penn Station tour guide, and Chief Experience Officer, Justin Rivers as he outlines the possible answers to that question. He’ll speak about why we have today’s Penn Station and how a simple refacing of it is only a half measure. From his role as playwright for The Eternal Space, the off-Broadway play about the demolition of Penn Station, and the co-creator and coordinator of the first-ever Penn Station Summit at Cooper Union, Justin will discuss what a reimagined Penn Station could look like as the next critical phase in what Governor Cuomo calls the Empire Station Complex.
The original Penn Station, Image via Wikimedia Commons
This virtual talk on Wednesday, January 6th is organized for Untapped New York Insiders. Not an Insider yet? Become a member today and get two months free with code JOINUS, then membership is just $10/month. A video of the tour will also be made available to all our Insiders afterward in the Video Archive section of our website. Already an Insider, register here!Â
Next, check out Photos: New Site-Specific Public Art at Moynihan Train Hall and First Look Inside NYC’s New Moynihan Train Hall