After 18 months of planning, the City of New Rochelle has revealed an ambitious plan to transform its historic train station into a modern, pedestrian-friendly, net-zero community hub.
With a $100 million price tag, the proposal includes restoring the train station exterior, creating a multi-purpose plaza, renovating the bus terminal and adding solar panels on the parking garage roof.
New Rochelle mayor Yadira Ramos-Herbert said it is a centerpiece of the downtown revitalization plan and will serve as more than a transit hub, but a community hub.
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New Rochelle has been rapidly growing over the past decade with the addition of 6,370 housing units, 1 million square feet of retail, 2.4 million square feet of office space and 1,200 hotel rooms.
With the new Penn Station on the horizon, by 2027 New Rochelle will be the first city in Westchester with direct Metro-North commuter rail access to both Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station. The ridership at the bustling transit center is expected to double to 15,000 riders on weekdays.
“It’s reimagining connecting communities and reinvigorating our businesses. I think it’s a holistic approach to phase two of our Renaissance,” Yadira Ramos-Herbert said. “It’s not just about revitalizing the station; it’s about creating a vibrant, accessible space that connects our diverse communities, fosters activity, and sets the stage for future development.”
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New Rochelle train station an iconic landmark in the city
Opened to the public in 1887, New Rochelle train station has long been an iconic landmark in the city. It connects the Metro-North commuter rail and the Amtrak train to Boston and Washington, DC. It also served nine Westchester Bee-Line bus routes, providing connections to Yonkers, Mount Vernon, White Plains and the Bronx. In 2023, it had 114,937 riders and generated more than $11 million ticket revenues.
The one-and-a-half story brick structure is crowned with a gabled roof, and the present paint scheme emphasizes the base with a dark brown color while the upper walls are coated in a light tan.
The proposal calls for restoring the exterior to its original configuration and creating a double-height, mixed-use interior space. It also plans to add crosswalks and landscaping, enhance lighting, deck over small sections of the train tracks and I-95, reorganize vehicle flow, refresh bus terminal and parking structure with new cladding and glazed stair towers, as well as install solar panels on the parking garage roof to make the station all-electric and achieve net zero goals.
“Our vision for the New Rochelle Transit Center is to preserve its historic character while transforming it into a modern, pedestrian-friendly hub that reflects the vibrant spirit of the city,” said John Schuyler, partner at FXCollaborative, who is leading the design process.
John Reverol, a New Rochelle resident who owns a cafe at the train station and two other coffee shops in the city, said he is elated about the redevelopment. He applauded the city’s efforts in revitalizing the downtown area and supporting local businesses.
“What has been done so far is going in the right direction. Eventually all will come together,” Reverol said.
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Rendering of New Rochelle transit center
Transit center development could be economic catalyst for New Rochelle
To revitalize the downtown, the city has launched a series of initiatives in recent years, including rezoning the Vanguard District, offering financial incentives to businesses and transforming the Memorial Highway into a walkable linear park with a plaza and an amphitheater. The new transit center is considered a hub that connects the neighboring infrastructure.
Adam Salgado, New Rochelle commissioner of development, who proposed the facelift idea to the City Council, said the new transit center will be a a tremendous economic development catalyst that would attract people and businesses.
“I think everyone understood that if the downtown is really going to be successful, we really need to have a world-class transit center,” Salgado said.
The $100 million project would be mainly funded through grants and federal and state funds with support from private investment. The city has secured $2.7 million grants and is hoping to seek funds from the Metro-North Railroad, Bee-line bus and developers.
The planning may take 3-5 years as the proposal is likely to go through a lengthy process, including federal and state environmental reviews and zoning amendments. If all goes according to plan, the first step of the multi-phased project will be renovating the transit center entrance in the Station Plaza South area.
While the project is still in preliminary stage, Ramos-Herbert said she is optimistic it will come through.
“We’re confident, but we do need to make sure that we add all these resources,” she said. “There might be some disruption as construction happens, but it’s on us to make sure we stay in contact with the community and have a robust intentional communication plan and be receptive to their feedback.”
Pedestrians walk along North Avenue near an entrance to the train tracks at the New Rochelle train station Dec. 4, 2024. Plans to develop a transit center will include transforming the sidewalk into an access plaza to the train station.
‘Perfect opportunity to reinvest in the infrastructure’ of New Rochelle
Train stations in other Westchester cities have undergone renovations in the past years, some with high price tags— White Plains station saw a $95 million renovation in 2021.
Sitting at the train station platform, New Rochelle resident Ziraili Nicholas, who commutes to work every day, said he is satisfied with the existing station.
Shirley Dieujuste, waiting for the bus at the terminal, said she would like to see heaters booths and food vendors added so passengers can stay warm in the winter. She thinks the elevators at the parking garage do not function well and the garage is unsanitary.
Shane Osinloye, district 4 council member, said he fully supported the transit center project, which is long overdue.
“The train station is our heart. We want our train station to be a premier one.” said Osinloye, whose jurisdiction includes the train station. “This is the perfect opportunity to reinvest in the infrastructure.”
Helu Wang covers real estate, economic growth and development for The Journal News/lohud and USA TODAY Network. Reach her at hwang@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New Rochelle NY planning train station $100M renovation