Hudson Yards Terminal Station will serve 56,500 riders per day by 2025, driving new growth and development on the Far West Side
First phase of Hudson River Park and Boulevard opens to public, adding 2.5 acres of tree-lined public space
NEW YORK – September 15, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Mayor Bill de Blasio today joined the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, development partners, federal, state and local elected officials to mark the commencement of passenger service on the number 7 Subway extension and the opening of a new station at 34th Street and 11th Avenue to link New Yorkers, workers and visitors to Manhattan’s Far West Side. The extension of the 7 Subway line west from Times Square was funded by a $2.4 billion investment by the City of New York.
“This is a great day, years in the making. It’s an expression of this city’s capacity to do big things. The 7 train extension is going to anchor new growth and opportunity on the West Side, and will improve the commutes of tens of thousands of New Yorkers. And the new public space opening above is a tremendous addition to the cityscape. We are deeply appreciative of the contributions so many New Yorkers and organizations have made to this project, from Mayor Michael Bloomberg, to the MTA, to Senator Schumer and our local elected officials,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.
The City also announced that the first phase of Hudson Park and Boulevard is open to the public, adding 2.5 acres of tree-lined open space between West 33rd and West 36th streets and 10th and 11th avenues. The principal entrance to the new subway is located in the park, between West 33rd and West 34th streets.
The subway extension and new park are key elements of the broader program to transform the Hudson Yards area into a vibrant, transit-oriented, mixed-use district with up to 50 million square feet of new development including new office space, 20,000 apartments – 5,000 of them affordable – 2 million square feet of retail, and 3 million square feet of hotel space. Development so far at Hudson Yards has generated more than 14,000 office and retail jobs, and more than 7,500 construction jobs. At its peak, construction of the 7 train employed another 1,300 workers.
“Just as the 7 train created neighborhoods like Long Island City, Sunnyside, and Jackson Heights in the 20th Century, this extension instantly creates an accessible new neighborhood right here in Manhattan,” MTA Chairman Thomas Prendergast said. “It will improve service reliability for all 7 line customers, and thanks to the foresight of Mayor Bloomberg, it is anchoring the transit-oriented, mixed-use development transforming the far West Side.”
The extension of the 7 line is fully accessible. The accessible features include two elevators from the street to the platform, detectable warning strips that identify the platforms edge for passengers with visual disabilities, and loop systems for those with hearing impairments.
Since the City first rezoned Hudson Yards in 2005, 6,300 apartments have already been built, including 1,200 that are affordable, as well as 4,100 hotel rooms. The City’s $3 billion investment in infrastructure upgrades, including the 7 subway extension and Hudson Park and Boulevard, is estimated to have spurred $16 billion in private capital commitments.
The City has significantly expanded the number of workers at Hudson Yards district covered by Living Wage provisions. In April 2015, Mayor de Blasio reached a major agreement with Brookfield Property Partners to pay workers at the company’s One Manhattan West development at least $13.30 an hour, the first project to do so under the City’s expanded Living Wage standard. Under the deal, all workers on the $2.2 billion, 2.1 million square-foot project will be paid a living wage, including employees of retail stores and other tenants. The project is expected to generate more than 10,000 construction, office and retail jobs. Last year, the Administration and Related Companies reached an agreement to provide a living wage for 1,650 workers, including building maintenance and security personnel.
“The subways are New York’s arteries. They grow our city and revitalize our neighborhoods, pumping in people and investment. That is why I have been a longtime believer in and booster of the 7 line extension. It will transform the once barren Far West Side into a buzzing hive of commercial and residential activity, and has already accelerated the momentum of other projects like Hudson Yards and the High Line,” said Senator Charles Schumer.
“The 7 train expansion has not only improved our public transportation system, it’s also created thousands of jobs, boosted economic activity and attracted new residential and commercial investment,” said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “This project will continue to benefit the development the West Side community.”
“The completion of the 7 train extension marks a great step forward in modernizing our city’s subways for the 21st century,” said City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. “Countless commuters will benefit daily from this extension, and the infrastructure will facilitate further development of the Hudson Yards area. I thank former Mayor Bloomberg, the Metropolitan Transit Authority, Mayor de Blasio and all involved in this project for investing in a more livable and functional New York City.”
“The 7 subway extension and new Hudson Park will drive job growth and provide for a vital expansion of the Midtown central business district, bringing with it new opportunities for housing, retail, and open space on Manhattan’s West Side,” said NYCEDC President Maria Torres-Springer. “Today marks an important achievement on behalf of the City, State and MTA for all New Yorkers.”
“The newly-extended 7 train will give residents and workers vastly improved access to the subway network and to Hudson Yards,” said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. “It’s thrilling to see this finally open, because it represents a big idea: that safe and modern transit is an economic development initiative, and we as a city and state have to do more of it.”
“Today’s opening of the number 7 line extension is a major milestone in the expansion of New York’s aged infrastructure,” said Congressman Jerrold Nadler. “For too long we have not made the necessary investments to update our transportation network. This project is key to opening the full economic potential of the Far West Side and the Hudson Yards development, it is one of many such projects we need to do to prepare New York for continued growth. I also want to congratulate former Mayor Michael Bloomberg on today’s opening, he championed this project, and should be congratulated for his role in the first subway line extension in 60 years and the first new station in 26 years.”
“I am pleased that the long awaited 7 line extension is finally opening to the public,” said Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney. “Thousands of riders will benefit from the new station and the extended service. I am also thrilled that residents now have access to 2.5 new acres of open space, which is always so sorely needed in the city. Hudson Yards is quickly becoming a vibrant and thriving area, and it is an enormous benefit.”
State Senator Brad Hoylman said, “After today, the Far West Side of Manhattan will be a lot closer for all New Yorkers with the opening of the 7 line station at Hudson Yards. The Hudson Yards station will serve as a gateway to a new neighborhood, representing smart planning that ties new development to mass transit and major infrastructure improvements. I commend everyone who made this expansion possible, including Governor Cuomo, the MTA, the current and past City Administrations and City Council, the Hudson Yards Development Corporation, and especially the construction workers for their hard work over the last decade. I’m also grateful to Community Board 4, whose close collaboration with local stakeholders helped make this station a reality.”
“New York City’s first new subway station in 36 years is a welcome and vital addition to Manhattan’s mass transit-starved Far West Side,” said Assembly Member Richard N. Gottfried. “It will serve tens of thousands of local residents, workers, and visitors every day and help the transformation of the Hudson Yards district succeed.”
“The opening of this station is a great victory for the West Side,” said Council Member Corey Johnson. “The 7 train will provide easy access to the West 30s for residents, workers and visitors alike. The City of New York stepped up to the plate and contributed over a billion dollars to make this project a reality. I want to thank Mayor Bloomberg, Mayor de Blasio, the MTA, Community Board 4 and the many transportation advocates who pushed hard to get us to this day.”
“The Hell’s Kitchen and Chelsea communities are enthusiastic that the Hudson Yards Rezoning is delivering the benefits they fought long and hard for,” said Christine Berthet, Chair of Community Board 4. “Thanks to present and past Administrations, elected officials, the MTA, and the HYDC, for their efforts and we urge the City to work towards completing the project, including a station at West 41st street and the second half of the Hudson Park.”
“This is a tremendous milestone for the West Side and New York City. The extension of the 7 subway to Hudson Yards was a critical catalyst for the development of a new neighborhood, a spectacular network of parks, thousands of jobs and an economic engine for the city,” said Stephen M. Ross, Chairman of Related Companies. “The City of New York and the MTA’s foresight and leadership was nothing short of visionary and their efforts have made Hudson Yards not only the marquee address for leaders of industry, but also the fastest-growing residential neighborhood in the city. We are thrilled to be a part of making our collective vision for the West Side a reality.”
“The newly extended 7 line, with its modern station located inside the beautiful new Hudson River Park, will immediately establish itself as a grand gateway to Manhattan’s West Side and the burgeoning Hudson Yards neighborhood,” said Rob Speyer, Tishman Speyer President and co-CEO. “Just as importantly, today’s opening serves as a clear demonstration of New York City’s ability to get big things done.”
“We are honored to celebrate the opening of the new 34th Street Hudson Yards station and Hudson Park, both of which are significant, much-needed additions to our great city,” said Kevin P. Singleton, Executive Vice President at TF Cornerstone and Chairman of the Hudson Yards/Hell’s Kitchen Alliance. “As one of the first residential developers on the Far West Side, we appreciate how important these two major completed capital improvements are to the creation of a 24-hour, live-work-play community. The new park and train station are a testament to the neighborhood’s incredible transformation, and we look forward to continuing to invest here for many years to come.”
“Throughout New York’s history, subway construction has created new frontiers that keep the city vital, evolving and able to plan for future growth,” said Justin Elghanayan, President of Rockrose Development Corporation. “It’s amazing that this can still occur in Midtown Manhattan, and today solidifies that Hudson Yards is the city’s most dynamic new frontier.”
“The opening of the 7 line extension at West 34th Street and 11th Avenue, and Hudson Boulevard and Park, are tremendous accomplishments and critical elements in helping bring to life the visions we’ve long had for the redevelopment of the Hudson Yards District,” said Joseph Moinian, President and CEO of The Moinian Group. “Congratulations to the HYDC, MTA, and the City of New York for their diligence and dedication. Their efforts have set in motion a new age for our city on a scale we haven’t seen in more than a century.”
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