WHAT IT TAKES TO RESTORE A HISTORIC TRANSPORTATION HUB

RYAN MONKMAN, SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER | GILBANE BUILDING COMPANY

Since breaking ground in 2023 significant progress has been made at Amtrak’s William H. Gray III 30th Street Station redevelopment project in Philadelphia. But as with any project of this size and scope, there’s much more that goes into it than meets the eye.

This transformative initiative is aimed at modernizing Philadelphia's historic rail hub – a challenging task considering the age of the station at nearly 100 years old and the fact that the station must remain open and operational throughout the extent of the project. As the third-busiest station in Amtrak's network, serving more than 5 million customers in 2024, this project will enhance functionality, improve traveler experience, and stimulate economic development in the surrounding area.

This project is delivered through a public-private partnership between Amtrak and Plenary Infrastructure Philadelphia, which includes Plenary Americas, Vantage Group, and Johnson Controls, with Gilbane Building Company and Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) as the design-build team. Gilbane, as the project’s design-builder, is playing a key role in bringing this ambitious vision to life. A crucial component in achieving the Philadelphia 30th Street Station District Plan is the significant redevelopment and restoration work, which will maintain the station’s place as a top transit hub and community resource while retaining all the historic elements that make the station so unique.

So far, we’ve made massive strides updating the Historic Main Concourse, the South Concourse and Food Hall, the Building Systems Infrastructure, as well as modernizing Amtrak’s Corporate offices. Our construction has been focused on addressing a backlog of deferred maintenance items, enhancing the customer experience to support future growth in ridership, reviving the building’s historic character, and improving operations and retail opportunities at the station.

Restoring and modernizing this nearly 600,000-squarefoot historic facility while allowing the station to remain operational during construction has required a significant amount of planning, partnership, and construction expertise. In our experience, successfully executing a historic renovation project of this scale comes down to four key characteristics: adaptability, partnership, innovation, and culture.

Innovation

Successfully renovating a nearly 100-year-old building in 2025 requires plenty of modern technology and innovation. At Gray 30th Street Station, we’ve implemented numerous digital tools to safely, efficiently, and effectively work on areas needing modernization while preserving the building’s historic character. For example, we utilize mobile wearable scanning devices that continuously scan the site as we walk. Creating an immersive view of existing conditions makes logistics, subcontractor coordination, and scheduling significantly easier.

We’ve also leveraged a digital logistics management platform to streamline construction site deliveries and enhance operational efficiency. On urban sites like Gray 30th Street Station, there’s minimal room for material laydowns and limited hours for deliveries. By replacing outdated scheduling methods like whiteboards and spreadsheets, digital logistics management platforms allow trade partners to book delivery slots online, while managing approvals to prevent congestion and ensure smooth site operations.

To push technological adoption even further, we’re also leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) tools to improve project efficiency, transparency, and decision-making. With AI technology, teams gain instant access to project documents and receive proactive alerts for key milestones, helping reduce delays and improve schedule performance in ways that are essential to success on a complex historic restoration project.

Adaptability

Historic restorations often present unique construction challenges that require flexibility and adaptability. This building was constructed in the early 1930s using materials and techniques different from those used today. The most high-profile restoration is in the ceiling in the Main Concourse – one of the most delicate tasks on the project. Restoring the ceiling required artisans qualified in historical painting techniques to recreate and preserve 100-year-old plasterwork with painstaking accuracy. Mockups, historic brushes, and hand-mixed plasters are just a few of the specialized tools in use, reflecting an unmatched level of care and craftsmanship.

Flexibility was also required when updating the station’s electrical systems, all while limiting disruptions to transit service. Gilbane was tasked with installing new high-voltage systems, including utility company switchgear, and a higher capacity, longer-running emergency power backup system. Doing so required weeks of careful and flexible planning with transit operators to maintain power supply to areas in need and ultimately eliminate unnecessary transit disruptions.

Partnerships

Gilbane is committed to bringing diverse, local talent to our job sites. Considering the sheer volume of work required on Gray 30th Street Station, we thought strategically from the beginning about which specialty subcontractors would be needed to complete the renovation project. We knew from the start that hiring Philadelphia-based talent would be essential to preserve the local character and identity of this facility. Thankfully, we’ve been investing in local partnerships for decades and have the deep relationships required to source this work from Philadelphia-based companies that understand the cultural significance of the station.

Culture

On a complex job with many shifting pieces, it’s important for the construction lead to ensure everyone is moving in the right direction. This is where culture can play a significant role in setting the tone for the project at hand. On a Gilbane job site, you can feel the energy – and the Gray 30th Street Station project is no different. Everyone from the trades workers to the engineers to the specialty contractors understands the importance of safety, professionalism, and teamwork. This cohesion creates an environment of camaraderie and enthusiasm for outstanding work that fuels the success behind every task at hand. It is this dedication to excellence, discipline, and integrity that makes Gilbane uniquely qualified to coordinate and execute a complex historic restoration like Gray 30th Street Station.

Additionally, utilizing a design-build model enables greater coordination and efficiency. Throughout construction (and even before the project started), we formed close partnerships with the long-term operators of the building – Johnson Controls for overall building operations and Vantage Group for the retail program – to ensure this culture permeates every aspect of the job and final constructed conditions meet our shared goals.

Modernization Rooted in History

On a historic restoration job as complex and important as Gray 30th Street Station, working with a construction partner with the right mix of resources, relationships, and culture is crucial to success. At Gilbane, we’re thankful for the opportunity to put our strengths to the test and are thrilled with the results thus far. The PIP and Amtrak partnerships look forward to reopening the South Concourse and Food Hall as we continue to advance this important project that will benefit Philadelphia, Amtrak customers, and the greater region for generations to come.