'A Lot Of TLC': White Plains Metro-North Station Getting Sleek $92M Upgrade

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- With its dreary color scheme, concrete crumbling, inside tiles missing and rusty bridge over Hamilton Avenue, there's no question the White Plains Metro-North station could use a little TLC.

"Yes! A lot of TLC," said commuter Ryanne Hunter to CBS2's Tony Aiello.

"This station is tired, needs upgrades," added Liz Hudak, another commuter using the line.

And after an incident last November, the station can also be a dangerous place.

"Right now what we have is a glorified platform, it's a platform with a roof on it," said Mayor Tom Roach, adding that the the county seat of Westchester deserves better.

Soon, the White Plains station improvement plan will change all that, thanks to a $92 million top-to-bottom renovation on the third-busiest station in the Metro-North System.

Over the course of three years, the station used by 10,000 people a day will transform into something sleek and modern - more commuter and pedestrian friendly.

There will be wood-paneled ceilings and artwork, and new platforms and waiting rooms with Wi-Fi and USB chargers. The bathrooms, right now gloomy, will be gleaming by the summer of 2019.

Given recent weather, commuters will appreciate staircases and parts of the platform having built-in heating elements to prevent the build up of snow and ice.

"I will tell you now it will make this whole commuting experience a lot nicer," said Hudak.

The construction will fit in nicely with White Plains's plan for development near the train station site.

"You're gonna see grassy open space where events can be held, people can picnic," said Roach. "You're gonna see more people living down here, and more activity."

And though the mayor noted everyone is looking forward to the major gain, there will be a little pain.

"You're also gonna see the start of construction that will tangle traffic and on occasion scramble the train schedule," said Roach.