Building Amtrak's proposed Gateway tunnel project could result in the razing of an entire midtown block lined with restaurants, businesses and churches, according to an article today by Jill Colvin at DNAinfo.com.
The Amtrak "Gateway Project" project, which is still in its preliminary planning phases, calls for the construction of two new commuter train tunnels under the Hudson River from New Jersey into a new, expanded Penn Station.
According to Gateway Project plans released by New Jersey Sen. Frank Lautenberg, a new station, called "Penn South," would be built just south of the existing transportation hub between West 30th and 31st streets between Eighth and Ninth avenues.
"But if the project gets the green light, the entire Midtown block needed for the site would likely be razed to build the new tracks and station under, an Amtrak spokesman confirmed," the article said, adding that "businesses in the path, who at first welcomed the news of more foot traffic, were shocked to hear about the proposed plan."
The Gateway Project is Amtrak's answer to the stalled Access to the Region's Core (ARC) plan, the tunnel project killed by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie that was supposed to double rail capacity between New Jersey and Midtown.
"The preferred scenario will be to raze the existing buildings, excavate the block, build the new train station, construct a deck over it and then build new commercial overbuild on top," Amtrak spokesman Cliff Cole said, the article said.
The stalled ARC project would have displaced more than 90 Manhattan businesses, including some that had served the neighborhood for decades, in order to build station entrances and air shafts, the article continued, but because the ARC station was set to be built so deep underground, the buildings directly above the station would have been saved.
The article said that Amtrak is now waiting for word on a $50 million grant request from the federal government to fund a design and engineering study for the project, which would take an estimated four years to complete. The company would then need to secure an estimated $13.5 billion to build the new tunnels and station.
The Amtrak presentation of its plan indicate that the two new tunnels and an expansion of Pennsylvania Station to the south would increase maximum operations from 62 total trains an hour to 92.
The plan would allow a substantial increase in NJ Transit "frequencies" across the Hudson River, permit a one-seat ride to Manhattan for many of its users and the new tunnels would provide "system redundancy" and "operational flexibility. One of the illustrations in Amtrak's presentation indicated a possible extension of the No. 7 extension five blocks to Penn Station.
The Amtrak "Gateway Project" project, which is still in its preliminary planning phases, calls for the construction of two new commuter train tunnels under the Hudson River from New Jersey into a new, expanded Penn Station.
According to Gateway Project plans released by New Jersey Sen. Frank Lautenberg, a new station, called "Penn South," would be built just south of the existing transportation hub between West 30th and 31st streets between Eighth and Ninth avenues.
"But if the project gets the green light, the entire Midtown block needed for the site would likely be razed to build the new tracks and station under, an Amtrak spokesman confirmed," the article said, adding that "businesses in the path, who at first welcomed the news of more foot traffic, were shocked to hear about the proposed plan."
The Gateway Project is Amtrak's answer to the stalled Access to the Region's Core (ARC) plan, the tunnel project killed by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie that was supposed to double rail capacity between New Jersey and Midtown.
"The preferred scenario will be to raze the existing buildings, excavate the block, build the new train station, construct a deck over it and then build new commercial overbuild on top," Amtrak spokesman Cliff Cole said, the article said.
The stalled ARC project would have displaced more than 90 Manhattan businesses, including some that had served the neighborhood for decades, in order to build station entrances and air shafts, the article continued, but because the ARC station was set to be built so deep underground, the buildings directly above the station would have been saved.
The article said that Amtrak is now waiting for word on a $50 million grant request from the federal government to fund a design and engineering study for the project, which would take an estimated four years to complete. The company would then need to secure an estimated $13.5 billion to build the new tunnels and station.
The Amtrak presentation of its plan indicate that the two new tunnels and an expansion of Pennsylvania Station to the south would increase maximum operations from 62 total trains an hour to 92.
The plan would allow a substantial increase in NJ Transit "frequencies" across the Hudson River, permit a one-seat ride to Manhattan for many of its users and the new tunnels would provide "system redundancy" and "operational flexibility. One of the illustrations in Amtrak's presentation indicated a possible extension of the No. 7 extension five blocks to Penn Station.
Architecture Critic
Carter Horsley
Since 1997, Carter B. Horsley has been the editorial director of CityRealty. He began his journalistic career at The New York Times in 1961 where he spent 26 years as a reporter specializing in real estate & architectural news. In 1987, he became the architecture critic and real estate editor of The New York Post.
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