NEW YORK - The 1963 demolition of Manhattan's original Pennsylvania Station ended an era for one of the nation's landmark public buildings, a grand Beaux Arts terminal boasting Roman-style columns and an expansive central waiting hall that ranked as the city's largest indoor area at the time.

Madison Square Garden rose in its stead as home to the NBA's New York Knicks and NHL's New York Rangers, while rail passengers descended into dim, cramped passages with low ceilings under the more practical 1968 layout.

Architectural historian Vincent Scully captured the shift by observing that travelers once arrived in the city like a god but now enter like a rat.

A bold new concept for the busiest transit hub in the Western Hemisphere seeks to recapture the former majesty of the station, first opened in 1910 and now serving Amtrak, the national rail operator that controls the facility, plus suburban commuter lines and links to the extensive subway network.

Renderings issued Monday by Amtrak and Penn Transformation Partners, the selected design and development group, depict a rectangular stone exterior with prominent columns framing a major entrance.

Inside, passengers would encounter a bright grand concourse featuring ceilings rising over 50 feet in sections, complete with bronze accents and decorative touches such as a bas relief of the city skyline plus a large classic station clock also crafted in bronze.

An interior wall near one entrance displays the seal of President Donald Trump, who directed Amtrak to lead the effort last year following years of delays and disputes among transit bodies and other stakeholders including James Dolan, owner of MSG along with the Knicks and Rangers, who has resisted relocating the arena.

Trump has discussed naming the station after himself while advancing public projects such as a new White House ballroom and a triumphal arch in the capital.

At present the proposed facade would still bear the name Pennsylvania Station in large letters across the front, according to the Monday renderings.

Andy Byford, named by Amtrak as special adviser for the project, stated he is not focused on names when questioned about possible changes.

The building already carries its name and that designation remains, noted Peter Cipriano, a lead developer.

The design takes cues from the ornate Beaux-Arts style of Grand Central Terminal as well as Art Deco icons like the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center, explained Vishaan Chakrabarti, a project leader.

Planners also drew from monumental federal architecture in Washington and structures erected by the Works Progress Administration in the Great Depression.

The goal is to elevate Penn Station among the city's premier landmarks and restore a spirit of civic ambition to this essential public space.

There was a bold appreciation for ornament and detail that has faded in some respects, Chakrabarti observed, and the team aims to revive elements of that craftsmanship.

The overhaul is expected to cost between $7 billion and $8 billion, with work slated to start before the close of 2027 and proceed in phases over roughly six years while the station stays operational.

More than 600,000 passengers pass through daily on weekdays, exceeding the combined totals at John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty airports.

Earlier proposals considered moving MSG, yet the current plans keep the arena in its existing location.

A theater owned by MSG and situated above the tracks would need removal to accommodate the new facade and concourse.

Developers and Dolan have signed a memorandum of agreement on this element, which aided selection of the proposal over other bids, Byford said, though final payment terms remain under discussion.

Negotiations of that nature are best kept private, Byford added.

The following stage involves polishing the initial concepts and completing federal environmental reviews to refine cost estimates, according to Byford.

He emphasized there are no intentions to acquire nearby properties for expansion or to fund the work through higher fares for riders.

No fare increase will support this project, Byford stated, and that will not occur.