Amtrak has partnered with Plenary Infrastructure Philadelphia (PIP) as the master developer whose responsibility it is to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain the station improvements for 50 years as part of a public-private partnership (P3) agreement.
Photo: Amtrak
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Amtrak announced officials gathered on Jan. 19 with federal, state, and local representatives and other community leaders to celebrate the construction kickoff for major renovations at William H. Gray III 30th Street Station in Philadelphia.
In 2016, in partnership with Brandywine Realty Trust, Drexel University, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, Amtrak developed a vision to serve as a roadmap for the improvement and development of Gray 30th Street Station and the surrounding district.
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This project is part of the first phase of the District Plan.
“This large-scale restoration and renovation project will enhance the station’s functionality and improve the customer experience for Amtrak, SEPTA, and NJ TRANSIT customers while preserving this iconic Philadelphia landmark for future generations,” said Amtrak CFO Tracie Winbigler. “Additionally, this station transformation will improve Market Street Plaza, expand retail offerings, and provide other benefits to the local community.”
Restoration and Renovation Coming to Gray 30th Street Station
Amtrak has partnered with Plenary Infrastructure Philadelphia (PIP) as the master developer whose responsibility it is to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain the station improvements for 50 years as part of a public-private partnership (P3) agreement.
Contractors currently performing various portions of its work include Gilbane Building Company as design-build lead, Johnson Controls Inc. for facility operations and maintenance, and Vantage Airport Group for concessions development and management.
The project has an estimated capital construction value of $550 million with elements of the station restoration and renovation including:
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Modernizing and expanding station food & beverage and retail offerings
Improving station operations and enhancing the customer experience
Upgrading the Porch landscaping and community amenities
Modernizing Amtrak corporate offices
Enhancing building infrastructure to achieve and maintain a state of good repair
The project has an estimated capital construction value of $550 million.
Photo: Amtrak
Investing in the Amtrak Project
PIP equity sponsor, Plenary Americas, LP, will also be investing $2.5 million into a community impact fund dedicated to supporting career development and small business growth aspirations of women, people of color, and individuals of under-represented groups in West Philadelphia and throughout the City.
The first grants will be provided to worker training programs run by the Philadelphia Building & Construction Trades Council (Samuel Staten Sr. Pre-Apprenticeship Program) and Finishing Trades Institute of the Mid-Atlantic Region (WINC, Women in Non-traditional Careers).
The Enterprise Center will receive a grant to support their ongoing efforts to promote racial and economic equity by providing access to capital to small businesses, and grants will be made to other local small business advocates including the African American Chamber of Commerce of PA/DE/NJ, Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia, Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Eastern Minority Supplier Development Council, and Women Business Enterprise Council East.
Elevator and escalator work will begin in January 2024. Additional construction phases will continue through 2027. The station’s South Concourse closed for major construction on Jan. 1., and is expected to reopen in summer 2025.
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Amtrak Hard at Work
The William H. Gray III 30th Street Station construction follows a year of projects for Amtrak.
In August 2023, the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and Amtrak announced they were replacing a diesel-powered bus with an electric vehicle (EV) on the Amtrak Cascades route.
Shortly after, Amtrak completed a $1.4 million project at the Jefferson City, Mo., station. The Amtrak Missouri River Runner travels between St. Louis and Kansas City with stops in Jefferson City twice daily eastbound and westbound.
In late November, Amtrak, in coordination with NJ TRANSIT, announced it had begun the procurement process for the Sawtooth Bridges Replacement Project.
Replacement of the Sawtooth Bridges is a component of the Gateway Program to preserve and expand the busiest section of the Northeast Corridor (NEC).
Amtrak will open grant applications March 23 for community projects near the Frederick Douglass Tunnel alignment in Baltimore as part of a $50 million investment tied to the B&P Tunnel Replacement Program.
The Denmark Station $2.3 million construction investment project includes a new 280-foot concrete boarding platform, built eight inches above the top of rail, for improved accessibility for passengers with disabilities and families with small children and much more.
Caltrain and its partners have implemented safety improvements at specific locations in response to known risk conditions, operational needs, and available funding since the agency’s founding.
On a recent episode of METROspectives, METRO Magazine’s Executive Editor Alex Roman sat down with Ana-Maria Tomlinson, Director of Strategic & Cross-Sector Programs at the CSA Group, to explore a bold initiative aimed at addressing those challenges: the development of a National Code for Transit and Passenger Rail Systems in Canada.
Competitive FTA grants will support accessibility upgrades, family-friendly improvements, and cost-efficient capital projects at some of the nation’s oldest and busiest transit hubs.
The 3.92-mile addition will soon take riders west beyond its current Wilshire and Western station in Koreatown, continuing under Wilshire Boulevard through neighborhoods and communities including Hancock Park, Windsor Square, the Fairfax District, and Carthay Circle into Beverly Hills.
Under the plan, all long-distance routes will transition to a universal single-level fleet, replacing today’s mix of bi-level and single-level equipment.
