With a vision of uniting and modernizing NYC’s busiest transportation hub, Moynihan Train Hall opened its doors at the start of 2021. Nicole Doheny was key to making that happen. She and her team advised on innovative financing and procurement structures for this major first step in the transformation of Penn Station.
What did working on the new Moynihan Train Hall mean to you?
This project was very personal — my friends, colleagues and I would be using this station every day. At its core, it’s a beautiful space that evokes history, celebrates art, connects people and is full of technology. It’s ripe with anticipation. People are going to work or seeing family — whatever it is that brings them to the station and our city.
What made the Moynihan Train Hall project unique?
This project was decades in the making. There were a lot of firsts in how we customized infrastructure, real estate and financing tactics to deliver on Moynihan’s promise. We leveraged our connections in the market and government to work in new ways with public and private entities to harness the strengths of both sectors. The station is now a hub for so many things — travel, of course, but also office space, retail and dining.
How is Moynihan Train Hall putting the “new” in New York City?
The timing really couldn’t be better to have something beautiful and functional where people want to go as they’re returning to the city. It’s really gratifying to hear the reactions of people who are arriving at Moynihan as one of their first steps back into the city post-pandemic.
Nicole Doheny is Senior Managing Director at Ernst & Young Infrastructure Advisors, LLC.