Moynihan Train Hall Opens at Penn Station with Major Public Art Commissions
On January 1, 2021, the Moynihan Train Hall was inaugurated at New York's Penn Station, a $1.6 billion expansion of the James A. Farley Building, crafted by SOM. This new wing boasts a 92-foot skylight and features significant artworks commissioned by Governor Andrew Cuomo. At the 33rd Street entrance, Kehinde Wiley's stained-glass triptych, Go, is prominently displayed, while Stan Douglas's mural, Penn Station's Half Century, merges historical and modern imagery. The main atrium showcases The Hive, an installation of inverted skyscrapers by Elmgreen & Dragset. Named in honor of Senator Daniel P. Moynihan, this project, which began construction in 2017, stemmed from a public-private partnership announced in 2016, with the post office still in operation and commercial spaces, including Facebook, now occupied.
Key facts
- Moynihan Train Hall opened January 1, 2021 at Penn Station, New York.
- Hall is housed in the former James A. Farley Building, the city's main post office.
- Designed by architecture firm SOM at a cost of $1.6 billion.
- Features a 92-foot skylight and public artworks commissioned by Governor Cuomo.
- Kehinde Wiley created a stained-glass triptych titled Go with breakdancers.
- Stan Douglas created photographic mural 'Penn Station's Half Century' for the hall.
- Elmgreen & Dragset installed 'The Hive', upside-down aluminum skyscrapers.
- Project was first proposed by Senator Daniel P. Moynihan in the early 1990s.
- Public-private partnership announced in 2016 included Empire State Development, Vornado Realty Trust, Related Companies, Skanska.
- Construction began in 2017 with extensive restoration of the building's exterior.
- Facebook will open commercial offices in the building.
- Cuomo framed the opening as a hopeful sign for New York City during the pandemic.
Entities
Artists
- Kehinde Wiley
- Stan Douglas
- Elmgreen & Dragset
- Michael Elmgreen
- Ingar Dragset
Institutions
- SOM
- Empire State Development
- Vornado Realty Trust
- Related Companies
- Skanska
- Artribune
- Venice Biennale
Locations
- New York City
- Penn Station
- Moynihan Train Hall
- James A. Farley Building
- 33rd Street
- 31st Street
- United States
- Berlin
- Canada