Renovating New York's Penn District: Hainaut Bluestone redesigns Manhattan's urban spaces

The 1.75 million square metre restoration and expansion project directly above Penn Station will breathe new life into the Seventh Avenue gateway at the top of North America's busiest transport hub.

New York's Penn Station, an icon of American rail transport, is undergoing a major transformation, redefining the Big Apple's iconic urban spaces. At the heart of this metamorphosis is a partnership of key players such as MNLA (landscape architects), MdeAS Architects (architects) and Vornado Realty Trust (property developer), who have created this new urban environment by incorporating Hainaut Blue Stone.

 

An interesting collaboration

MNLA, with its expert vision of the urban landscape, worked with Carrières du Hainaut to integrate Hainaut Bluestone into the design of the surrounding spaces. Various formats of paving, façade elements, steps and kerbs were carefully selected to create a welcoming and aesthetically pleasing outdoor space.

For its part, MdeAS Architects, in charge of the buildings, also incorporated blue stone from the Carrières du Hainaut into many of the construction elements, including the stair treads, giving this large-scale project a timeless aesthetic and lasting functionality.

 

A commitment to quality and innovation

Carrières du Hainaut's products, renowned for their premium quality and added architectural value, blend perfectly into New York's urban landscape. Hainaut bluestone, with its distinctive texture and shades of grey and blue, brings a touch of sophistication to the renovated Penn Plaza, while offering exceptional durability to withstand the rigours of the urban environment.

 

Imposing quantities for an impressive transformation

Carrières du Hainaut supplied an impressive quantity of Hainaut Blue Limestone for this ambitious project. The figures speak for themselves:

• 5cm-thick paving: 4,736.02 m².
• 8cm-thick paving: 16,327.34 m²
• 15 cm thick paving: 348.92 m²
• 30cm thick paving: 129.90 m²
• Steps between 10cm and 20cm thick: 839.41 m²
• Façade elements: 2,095.88 m²
• 38cm wide kerbs: 1,097.24 mct

 

Involvement of Carrières du Hainaut partners

Marble masons Henraux SpA and Campolonghi SpA also played a key role in the completion of this emblematic project. By purchasing slabs and blocks of Belgian Blue Stone from Carrières du Hainaut, they have helped to provide the basic materials needed to transform Penn District. The slabs are cut to create smaller paving thicknesses, while the blocks are used for larger thicknesses. The distributors also provide a Blue Flammed finish to all the products, adding a touch of finesse and craftsmanship to this monumental project.

 

A New Era for Penn District

Thanks to this collaboration between Carrières du Hainaut, MNLA, MdeAS Architects, Vornado Realty Trust, Henraux SpA and Campolonghi SpA, Penn District is entering a new era of grandeur and functionality. The surrounding urban spaces are transformed into welcoming and aesthetically pleasing places, where natural stone adds a touch of timeless beauty.

The renovation of the Penn District in New York is a perfect example of the harmonious marriage between architectural innovation, landscape design and the quality of materials. Carrières du Hainaut, with its commitment to excellence and aesthetics, is playing a central role in this transformation, redefining the standards of urban design in the city that never sleeps.