Overview
- MTA officials cut the ribbon Friday on a new entrance at East 45th Street and Madison Avenue that gives direct vertical access down to the Grand Central Madison concourse and platforms.
- The entry is ADA-accessible and includes an elevator, three escalators, and a staircase to speed trips between street level and the deep platforms.
- The $64 million project is the third of five station entrances being delivered through public-private partnerships and was built by developer BXP as part of its 343 Madison Avenue site work.
- MTA leaders say the BXP deal will generate about $1 billion over time in lease payments and property tax revenue that the agency plans to put toward its capital program.
- Grand Central Madison opened in 2023 and already handles roughly 70,000 LIRR riders per day; officials say the new entrance improves commuter convenience, adds redundancy if Penn Station faces disruptions, and supports crowd management for big events while station finishing work and most concourse retail remain incomplete.