PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Few people have seen the Franklin Square platform since the station closed in 1979, but that’s set to change.
PATCO has been working to reopen the station. The headhouse will be new, but part of the original underground aesthetic — green and white tiles dating back to the 1930s — will remain.
Crews began the $30 million construction project on the so-called “ghost station” in February. It’s slated to reopen by the summer of 2024.
Most of the work being done at Seventh and Race streets is happening below ground, where crews are digging out and preparing to fill in a stairway that once led PATCO passengers down to the platform.
“There will be a new entrance through the headhouse. And inside that headhouse, there will be both an escalator and an elevator,” said Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) chief engineer Mike Venuto.
The station is also getting fresh lighting and new communications and electrical systems — a stark contrast to the nearly century-old tiles.
“We’re going to still use the existing tiles that are still down there, the existing colors,” Venuto said. “We’re actually removing some tiles from areas that were not going to be accessible and to reuse those tiles in a new area. So we’re going to try to preserve as much of that old look as we can.”
Starting early next year, work will begin above ground to build a glass-enclosed headhouse with a green roof. DRPA CEO John Hanson said they took steps to preserve as much of Franklin Square Park as possible.
“We entered into agreements with the city to make sure that we’re maximizing the green space for the City of Philadelphia and putting a station in that fits in with the surrounding areas, especially the park,” Hanson assured.
Related
Franklin Square Station first opened in 1936 as part of the Bridge Line, which operated between Eighth and Market streets in Center City and Broadway Station in Camden, New Jersey, according to PATCO. It was officially shuttered 43 years ago due to low ridership.
Hanson said there was a renewed push to reopen the station following a surge of residential and commercial developments in Chinatown and Callowhill.
“We do expect ridership to be increased by the development that’s occurred,” Hanson noted. “We expect that building this station will further spur development and economic activity in this area.”
Officials predict the station will see 1,300 daily riders.
“We have an opportunity to connect our customers to this area of the city, to Chinatown, to the Convention Center, to Independence Park,” added PATCO General Manager John Rink. “Our job is to connect people, and this will be a good opportunity to connect to the community here.”
Construction is nearly 40% complete, and the project is on schedule for its 2024 debut.