NYC is asking Gov. Hochul to redesign the Penn Station plan

The City Planning Commission is withholding support for Gov. Hochul’s new Pennsylvania Station plan. 

Last November, Gov. Hochul revised the much-anticipated plan to restore Penn Station and surrounding neighborhoods. The governor’s proposal to rebuild the station is estimated to cost up to $7 billion and take four to five years to complete. The administration of Mayor Eric Adams is uncertain how the state will pay for this project and, as a result, cannot currently give it the green light, Crain’s New York reports. 

The City Planning Commission of New York sent a letter to Hope Knight, president and CEO of the Empire State Development Corporation, the agency in charge of the Penn Station project. In the letter, the city states that “there continue to be unanswered questions related to financing, transit improvements, and public realm improvements.” The Commission is ready to collaborate with the project developers to improve the proposal. 

Gov. Hochul plans to build ten super tall towers around the station and use funds from this development to build a new train terminal. In addition, Hochul’s proposal includes adding eight acres of public space and creating a single-level Penn Station hall. The removal of the second floor will increase the amount of square footage available to the public.

Technically, the Penn Station project does not need approval from the city entities to move forward, according to Gothamist. But the new station plan is being developed in coordination with the New York City Department of Transportation and the City Planning Commission. The Commission is asking the project’s shareholders to make several public realm changes, including sidewalk improvements, adding protected bike lanes, and more space to avoid overcrowding. 

MTA is holding the public comment period for the Penn Station project through February 22. Add your feedback here. 

Resources:

“NYC commission withholds support for Hochul’s plan to rebuild Penn Station,” by Aaron Ginsburg (6sqft, 2022)

“Hochul wants to rename Penn Station as part of revised renovation plan,” by Devin Gannon (6sqft, 2021)

“NYC Wants To Know How The State Will Pay For Hochul’s Penn Station Redesign Plans,” by Stephen Nessen (Gothamist, 2022)

“City isn’t on board yet with Hochul’s plan to rebuild Penn Station,” by Aaron Elstein (Crain’s New York, 2022)

“RE: Comments on the Pennsylvania Station Area Civic and Land Use Improvement Project,” (City Planning Commission City of New York, 2022)

“With Cuomo Gone, Hochul Revises Plan for Penn Station,” by Matthew Haag and Patrick McGeehan (the New York Times, 2021)