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Skanska and Halmar JV Named Master Developer for Penn Station’s Multi-Billion Dollar Revamp

Amtrak and the U.S. DOT have selected a joint venture between Halmar and Skanska to lead the multibillion-dollar Penn Station reconstruction project in Manhattan.

By Colin Percy · May 21, 2026

Amtrak has officially selected Halmar International to serve as the master developer for the renovation of Penn Station in New York City. Despite the announcement, Amtrak has provided minimal information regarding the project's total cost, financing structure, or the specific criteria used to choose the developer. While the project is intended to introduce a grand entrance on Eighth Avenue, a new concourse, and retail space, project details remain vague, leaving transparency advocates and local officials questioning how the initiative will be funded and whether New York taxpayers will face financial liability.

The proposed development, branded as Penn Transformation Partners, aims to implement a design-build-operate-maintain-finance (DBOM-F) model. Although federal officials previously suggested a total project cost of approximately $8 billion, inconsistent messaging regarding public sector contributions—and potential involvement from private entities like Vornado—continues to fuel uncertainty. With construction currently targeted to begin in 2027, the scope of the station's planned through-running rail operations and final architectural design remain unconfirmed.

Companies mentioned

architect

HOK

engineer

Langan

engineer

HNTB New York Engineering

owner

US DOT

developer

Halmar

general contractor

Eastman Cooke

Automotive & serviceMedical
engineer

Severud Associates

general contractor

Skanska

Civic & governmentMedical
owner

Amtrak

owner

Vornado Realty Trust

developer

Halmar International

developer

Penn Transformation

architect

Practice for Architecture and Urbanism

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