NYC's Worst Train Station Will Soon Get a Massive Revamp

Considered one of the grandest places in America in 1910, New York’s Penn Station was an architectural jewel with its Beaux Arts exterior, stately columns and lofty hall inspired by Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. These days, it’s been dubbed the “ugliest train station” and even the “worst place on Earth” since being torn down and built entirely underground in 1968 with Madison Square Garden perched on top of it. After nearly two decades of teasing a renovated station, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has finally revealed updated plans and renderings for the eyesore. New features include 10-story ceilings with overarching glass arches paying homage to the glamour of the original architecture, a balcony with 112,000 square feet of retail and restaurants, as well as 50 percent more floor space, making it larger than Grand Central Station. Governor Cuomo said it best when he quoted, “Penn Station is the train version of Laguardia — it’s decrepit, and it’s an affront to the rider to use it,” which is probably why the estimated completion date has been expedited to 2020. Take a look at the renderings above.