SEPTA and Amtrak could help turn 30th Street into a neighborhood with improvements to their stations, but the true challenge will be to ensure that Schuylkill Yards is upgraded in a way that is equitable to everyone, writes Inga Saffron for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

30th Street Station has always functioned primarily as a gateway to somewhere else. However, as the land around the station has slowly filled with apartment towers, offices, and labs, the cathedral-sized train hall has turned into something more: an anchor for the currently-forming Schuylkill Yards neighborhood.

Now, Amtrak plans to turn the building into a destination that would also be visited by people who are not going anywhere. The initial phase of the project is already underway. Once it is completed, Amtrak wants to lease retail spaces to businesses that can appeal to both locals and travelers, such as a chef-driven restaurant with table service and a produce market.

Meanwhile, SEPTA has already debuted a new and improved Market-Frankford Line station that was previously in a truly grim condition. The new version is brighter, cleaner, and easier to navigate. This is also where SEPTA has already deployed its new wayfinding system.

Read more about the planned changes that could transform 30th Street as we currently know it in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on PHILADELPHIA Today in May 2024.