On January 1, 2021, Moynihan Train Hall opened to the public—welcoming New Yorkers and visitors with a new front door to the city.
Built within the landmark Farley Post Office Building, the 255,000-square-foot train hall expands Penn Station and restores a sense of light, clarity, and civic presence to America’s busiest transit hub.
Conceived as a new gateway across Eighth Avenue from Penn Station, the train hall transforms a complex long defined by limited natural light and congestion. Set within the Farley Building’s former mail sorting room, the main concourse reintroduces daylight through a soaring skylight composed of four catenary vaults. More than 500 glass and steel panels per vault filter daylight into the space, while three original steel trusses—once concealed—anchor the new structure and reconnect the building to its history.
The project realizes a long-held vision championed by U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Built above the existing rail infrastructure, the hall provides direct access to 17 tracks serving Amtrak and the Long Island Rail Road, along with expanded circulation, seating, retail, and public art.
Guided by the lessons of the original Penn Station, the design demonstrates how adaptive reuse can elevate essential infrastructure while honoring a landmarked structure. As the first facility in the world to achieve LEED BD+C for Transit certification, with a silver rating, the project sets a new benchmark for sustainable civic architecture.
Five years on, the train hall continues to serve as critical infrastructure and generous public space on Manhattan’s West Side—an enduring investment in the future of New York.
