Amtrak awards development contract for USA’s 8th busiest station

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Photo: Beatty Development.
Photo: Beatty Development.
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Penn Station Partners (PSP) has been awarded a contract to negotiate a development deal for Baltimore Penn station – and surrounding Amtrak properties – in the United States.

The Baltimore-based team is comprised of a number of companies with global expertise – including Network Rail Consulting – who were chosen because of their successful record of project delivery, extensive experience and plans for the adaptive reuse of historic buildings.

They will now work on the master development for the station – the eight busiest in the country – which will see it modernised and expanded to accommodate for growth.

The team have proposed a multi-phased, mixed-use development that could bring as much as 1.6 million sq ft of development to the area.

Preliminary concepts include a hotel in the historic station head house, as well as office and residential space to the north along Lanvale Street connected by an expanded concourse with new retail opportunities.

Specific details regarding the development’s scope, design and phasing will be the focus of future engagement between Amtrak, the selected developer, stakeholders and the public.


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The full list of companies in Penn Station Partners:

  • Beatty Development Group
  • Armada Hoffler Properties
  • Cross Street Partners
  • Gensler
  • WSP USA
  • Network Rail Consulting
  • Mace Group
  • JLL
  • HR&A Advisors
  • Charles Belfoure
  • Cho Benn Holback
  • Stifel
  • Nicolaus & Company
  • RK&K
  • Younts Design.

The Brandywine Realty Trust and Peebles-AZ Baltimore Penn were the other two shortlisted teams following a request for qualifications in 2016.

Baltimore mayor Catherine Pugh said: “This development is a historic opportunity for Amtrak and Penn Station Partners to bring to life a bold future for Penn Station, generating jobs and sustained economic opportunities for our Baltimore communities and beyond.”

Beatty Development Group president Michael Beatty added: “The PSP team is comprised of some of the top minds from around the world, experts in their respective fields, all working together to create an ambitious vision for the future of Baltimore Penn Station. Today’s announcement brings us one step closer to making that vision a reality.”


So what are the busiest stations in the United States?

Station – ridership

  1. New York Penn station, New York City – 10,436,909
  2. Washington Union station, Washington D.C. – 5,098,562
  3. 30th Street station, Philadelphia – 4,328,718
  4. Chicago Union station, Chicago – 3,247,117
  5. Los Angeles Union station, Los Angeles – 1,635,039
  6. Boston South station, Boston – 1,574,450
  7. Sacramento Valley station, Sacramento – 1,051,001
  8. Baltimore Penn station, Baltimore – 1,030,161
  9. Albany-Rensselaer station, New York – 855,176
  10. Santa Fe Depot, San Diego – 777,352

Data taken from Amtrak for 2016. Ridership is calculated by adding boardings and alightings. 


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