The Gray 30th Street Station after renovation (an artist rendering).

Community members are invited this Thursday to a Public Open House meeting to learn more about a major renovation project at the William H. Gray III 30th Street Station. The meeting will take place from 4-7 p.m. on November 16 at the station (behind Amtrak Ticket Office). It is hosted by Amtrak and Plenary Infrastructure Philadelphia (PIP), the private contractor that will implement and maintain the station improvements for the next 50 years as part of a public-private partnership agreement.

The project is being implemented in phases. The design phase began in 2021 and the construction phase, which is also divided in phases/milestones, is scheduled to begin this Fall. Amtrak operations will continue during the renovation period.

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President Joe Biden will visit the 30th Street Station on Friday, April 30, to mark the 50th anniversary of Amtrak, according to reports. Biden’s visit is part of his “Getting America Back on Track” tour marking his first 100 days in office.

During his visit, Biden is also expected to advocate for his $2.3 trillion infrastructure and jobs plan, which includes $80 billion funding for Amtrak.

Rendering of the 30th Street Station Plaza redesign concept.

At a public Open House held earlier this month at 30th Street Station, Amtrak presented its design concept for Station Plaza, one of the more visible projects of the widely publicized 30th Street Station District Plan.

Information boards were available at the Open House to help the public better understand the vision of the District Plan and Station Plaza design concepts. The public had an opportunity to fill out a station plaza survey. Those who didn’t attend the Open House but want to provide their feedback on the project can do so through an online survey.

But here’s what you need to do first: Learn about the station plaza concept. Click HERE to view the eight information boards that were on display at the July 12, 2017 Open House.  Continue Reading

Photo by Ryan Collerd, courtesy University City District.

It’s hard to believe it but The Porch at 30th Street Station is celebrating its 5th anniversary this week. It opened in the fall of 2011 and transformed a parking lot and a dangerous walkway outside of the nation’s second busiest train stations into a vibrant and pedestrian-friendly public space complete with tables and chairs, umbrellas, swings and greenery.

The Porch’s 5th Anniversary Party will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 28 (weather permitting) and will feature food, drinks, giveaways, and music. University City District (UCD), who operates and programs The Porch, is partnering with 33rd Street Hospitality and Jet Wine Bar to bring $5 food and drink specials in honor of the five years since The Porch debuted.

Since its introduction in 2011, The Porch at 30th Street Station has been offering seasonal horticulture, special events, and lunch service from local food trucks. The Porch was Philadelphia’s first “lighter quicker cheaper” public space, and originally involved simple, cost-effective, and fully removable elements.

Five years later, The Porch has evolved into a more permanent mainstay, with elements contributed by Groundswell Design Group, Gehl Studio, and Visit Philly. The Porch has also cemented itself as a popular gathering space for commuters, local workers, and visitors to Philadelphia looking for a space to lounge and linger.  Continue Reading

A patriotic lighting installation will greet the thousands of people expected to visit 30th Street Station before, during and after the four-day Democratic National Convention (July 25-28). The programmable system of color-changing LED fixtures will sweep stars and swaths of red, white and blue across the station’s 29th Street facade.

This light show is sponsored by Amtrak and the University City District and is one of several across the city to welcome DNC attendees.

The lights will be projected onto the station’s 29th Street facade from 8:00 p.m. – 3:00 a.m. every night through July 31.

The public has been an integral part of the 30th Street Station District Plan, a joint master planning effort to develop a comprehensive vision for the future of the station and the surrounding area, which began in January 2015 with the first public open house at the station. On Wednesday, May 18, community members are invited to the final open house, where you can review the Draft Plan and discuss it with the project team before they start working on the Final Plan.

The plan will provide a vision for approximately 35-year-long development of the 30th Street Station area. The draft plan was released in March and includes such proposals as building a new urban residential neighborhood and park, new bridges, a new intercity bus terminal, and more. According to the draft plan, the first phase of the development would include remodeling of the station.

The open house will be held from 4 – 7 p.m. at 30th Street Station (30th and Market), in the North Waiting Room (behind Amtrak ticket office). The draft plan and renderings can also be viewed here.