By Michelle Cohen, 6 Sqft; January 10, 2019
It was announced today that a $60.2 million contract to build the project that will bring the Long Island Rail Road service to Grand Central Terminal was awarded to construction and development company Skanska. The award represents the final heavy civil contract in the MTA’s largest largest capital project and one that marks the first expansion of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) in over 100 years.
When complete, East Side Access will be able to offer direct access to a brand-new concourse and terminal to riders on all eleven branches of the LIRR, helping to ease the overcrowding that plagues the west side’s Penn Station. The MTA purchased the Grand Central Terminal in a $35 million deal in 2018 as 6sqft previously reported, giving the agency more control over development projects happening at the space. The sale also included miles of track on Metro-North’s Harlem and Hudson lines.