BESPOKE DIARIES: HISTORY AT A NEW PENN STATION

Harlem Bespoke: We were able to catch the one sunny day this weekend to photograph the new Penn Station in midtown that debuted on New Year's Day and were really impressed by the contemporary nod to history.  Basically the first Penn Station was torn down in the 60s to make way for the much reviled underground tunnels at Madison Square Garden but the city started an adaptive reuse project a decade ago to retro-fit the massive post office building across the street to reflect the former glory of the original.

This actually was an incredible idea since the majestic post office building was designed by the same architects (McKim, Mead and White) as the first station and had the scale that a true train depot would need for one of the greatest destination cities of the world.  A key main feature that had to be restored was the glass domes up top from the predecessor which brought in just an abundant amount of light and beauty to the interior space.   There is also a large hanging clock that is another reference to the original design but a lot of modern upgrades have also been included within.

There will be a lot of restaurants opening in the coming months on the upper levels which will actually be worth visiting and a the renderings of the exterior shows some dramatic rooftop dining.  Tourists and city dwellers will have a new iconic spot to visit even for leisure when things get back to normal later this year and we hope to check out some of the new eateries when they are ready for the public.  Those traveling to Long Island over the summer or using the Metro North will arrive or depart at this location while New Jersey commuters will still access the older entrances between 7th Avenue and 8th Avenue.   Check out more photos of the legendary old Penn Station here:  LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2021