MTA and Maryland Advance Rail Station TOD Projects Worth Over $250 Million

A 99-year ground lease at Westbury station will deliver $15.5 million on a net present value basis to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's capital program, as the MTA Board approved the first transit-oriented development on Long Island Rail Road-owned land.

The MTA Board approved the transaction with GO Westbury, LLC, an affiliate of the Gotham Organization, to redevelop an MTA-owned parking lot adjacent to the Westbury LIRR station. The Westbury Commons development will contain 184 rental apartments, 19 of them income-limited affordable homes, plus 2,000 square feet of retail space, a public plaza and 254 parking spaces on the cellar and ground floor levels. The MTA retains ownership of the property; Gotham takes on development, operation and maintenance of the site.

The approval follows the Westbury Village Board of Trustees' unanimous vote in September 2026. Along with the lease revenue, the MTA expects real estate taxes, a new public open space at the station and what it calls other significant public benefits.

What does the deal change for riders and the region?

"Westbury is revitalizing its downtown with a more walkable and dynamic environment that brings new housing within steps of the LIRR, connecting residents to jobs, education and opportunities throughout the region," said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber.

MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer tied the project directly to the agency's funding base: "because this project generates funding for the MTA capital program, it's not just a win for Long Island riders—it benefits everyone who depends on our transit system."

LIRR President Rob Free said the development provides easy commuter access while generating revenue for capital projects. Gotham Development President Bryan Kelly called the Board's approval "a significant step forward" that brings the underutilized site closer to becoming a residential community at the heart of Westbury. Westbury Mayor Peter Cavallaro said the lease caps a long-gestating project that will create a new gateway on the southern end of downtown.

The surface lot became available in 2021, when a new 683-space commuter parking garage opened north of the station to support the Main Line Expansion project. Completed in 2022, that $10-mile-scale overhaul targeted the 9.8-mile Main Line segment between Floral Park and Hicksville, eliminating delays and bottlenecks by removing eight street-level grade crossings, modifying seven rail bridges and installing sound and retaining walls along the corridor. The work also delivered ADA improvements, enhanced stations, new substations and parking facilities.

Maryland breaks ground at Odenton

Days of TOD momentum are not confined to New York. Maryland officials broke ground on the $56 million Odenton MARC Station Commuter Garage, the first physical phase of a $200 million public-private project at the state's third-busiest MARC station.

The garage precedes a full redevelopment of four acres of surface parking into a mixed-use, high-density housing hub integrated with the MARC station. Funding combines federal transit-oriented development grants, state affordable housing tax credits and private capital. Target completion is autumn 2028.

"Our administration is dedicated to building transit accessible communities for Marylanders to enjoy for generations to come," said Gov. Wes Moore. "Soon, it will be easier than ever for Odenton residents to access the reliable and sustainable infrastructure they deserve."

Maryland Transit Administration and Maryland Department of Transportation projections put the yield at more than $270 million in new tax revenue for the state and Anne Arundel County over 30 years, contingent on full redevelopment of all three existing surface lots on the east and west sides of the rail corridor.

Karen Henry, director of the Maryland Department of Public Works, credited partnership structures: "Working alongside our state and local partners allows us to align our long-term goals and deliver high-impact investments like this."

Phase 1 construction covers foundation excavation, utility infrastructure updates and lower-level parking structures. Initial work includes temporary ADA parking relocation. Rail and bus services will run on normal schedules, with designated pedestrian paths routing riders around the construction zone, and surrounding local businesses will stay open, according to the administration.

Both projects now move from approval and groundbreaking into delivery, with Westbury Commons awaiting construction timelines and Odenton's garage targeting a 2028 finish.