NEW YORK – Feb. 10, 2023 – A multipractice team from global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP’s New York office represented the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and certain affiliated agencies in the development of Grand Central Madison, formerly known as East Side Access, which brings Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) service to the east side of Manhattan for the first time.
Grand Central Madison opened to the public Jan. 25 and is expected to commence full service Feb. 27. The new world-class terminal is located underneath and adjacent to the existing Grand Central Terminal, 15 stories below street level and includes entrances along Madison Avenue. The approximately $11.1 billion public works project is one of the largest in the United States and will save commuters with East Side Manhattan destinations the extra time needed to travel to and from Penn Station, the LIRR’s existing terminus in Manhattan. The new terminal also eases the burden on the over-capacity Penn Station. The new eight-track terminal is 100 feet underground and includes a 350,000-square-foot passenger concourse, offering 25 retail storefronts, WiFi and cell service, new art installations, and digital signage with real time train information.
Greenberg Traurig advised the MTA on a variety of real estate, development and regulatory matters in connection with the mega-project. The multipractice Greenberg Traurig team was led by Peter S. Borock, shareholder in the firm’s New York Real Estate Practice. The team also included Shareholders Henry M. Greenberg, Robert J. Kirshenberg, Keith E. Reich, and Steven C. Russo, and Associates Ari J. Ben-Saull, Katie L. Birchenough, Marissa P. Levy, and Amy H. Pearl.