[NYguy]

https://www.newsday.com/amp/news/new...ion-1.50103548

NYC's Moynihan Train Hall a bright alternative to Penn Station in 2021


By Jesse Coburn
December 28, 2020

Long Island Rail Road commuters sick of the crowded, windowless hallways of Manhattan's Penn Station have a brighter alternative to look forward to in the new year.

After more than three years of construction, the new Moynihan Train Hall — directly across 8th Avenue from Penn Station — will open to passengers Jan. 1, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s office announced Sunday.

The 255,000-square-foot facility, located inside what was once the city's main post office, will offer a new access point to 17 of Penn's 21 tracks, enabling LIRR and Amtrak riders to avoid the station’s maze of dingy underground passageways when buying tickets and waiting for trains.
In a statement, Cuomo hailed the completion of the $1.6-billion project — on-time and within its budget — as a "monumental accomplishment."
"New Yorkers have known for decades that Penn Station needed to be re-imagined," Cuomo said. "The pandemic did not stop us from dreaming big and building for the future."

Cuomo, in his State of the State address last January, unveiled a proposal to acquire the block south of Penn Station and build eight new train tracks underneath, expanding track capacity by 40%. Cuomo spokesman Jack Sterne said Sunday the project is under environmental review.
Sen. Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach), a member of the state Senate’s Transportation Committee, said Sunday the completed Moynihan project should make for a more pleasant commute for LIRR riders traveling to and from Manhattan. But more work is needed, he said, to solve the other capacity, safety and access issues that plague Penn.

"There's a lot we need to do at Penn Station," he said. "This is a good part of it, but there's a long way to go."

https://champ.gothamist.com/champ/go...en-january-1st

New Moynihan Train Hall Is Set To Open January 1st


BY SYDNEY PEREIRA
DEC. 27, 2020

Train operations at the new Moynihan Train Hall are expected to begin January 1st, according to the governor's office. The $1.6 billion project turns the century-old Farley post office building into a transit hub increasing Penn Station's size by 50%.

The Moynihan Train Hall is connected to Penn Station via underground passageways, and features a 92-foot high glass skylight, expanded waiting areas for travelers, free WiFi, a lounge area for nursing mothers, and other features.