Amtrak Narrows Search for Master Developer for 30th Street Station
Amtrak recently made more than $100 million in capital investments at the station.
PHILADELPHIA, PA—As part of the ongoing work to enhance the customer experience at the William H. Gray III 30th Street Station, Amtrak narrowed the list to four teams that will compete to be selected as Master Developer to update the historic station.
The firms that responded to Amtrak’s Request for Qualification are:
- Brandywine Realty Trust: Brandywine, Pelli Clarke, Pelli Architects, WSP, CBRE
- G30 Collaborative: Meridiam, Gensler, Gannett Fleming, Turner Construction, Aramark, MarketPlace, WeWork
- PHL 30 Vision: JLL, FXCollaborative, AKF, Pennoni, ARUP, Jingoli, JLL
- Plenary Infrastructure PHL: Plenary, SOM, Pennoni, Arora, Urban, AKRF, Gilbane Building, Johnson Controls, Vantage, Republic
The announcement of the four teams is part of the process that will result in the selection of a preferred developer who will assist in: introducing new customer amenities, reinvigorating the retail and commercial potential of the station, enhancing transit and pedestrian traffic flow, and expanding the station’s concourses to accommodate anticipated increases in ridership.
“The selection of the four teams is a significant milestone, as it represents the next step in realizing the future vision of the William H. Gray III 30th Street Station,” says Amtrak director Natalie Shieh. “By partnering with the right development team, Amtrak will update this major transportation hub as a world-class gateway for the traveling public and Philadelphia.”
The nearly 100-year-old facility is the third busiest station in Amtrak’s national system, serving more than four million Amtrak customers and more than eight million combined SEPTA and NJ TRANSIT rail commuters annually. Amtrak recently made more than $100 million in capital investments at the station, including refurbishment of the building facade, improvements to the public restrooms, replacement of the passenger elevators and escalators and restoration of the historic bronze entrance doors.
The next step in the process will be a Request for Proposals from the four teams, with a Master Developer decision by Amtrak in 2019.