Shortly after Governor Hochul told a November business breakfast that she wanted a “magnificent” Penn Station to rival Moynihan Train Hall, the MTA appears to be dramatically scaling back redevelopment plans for Penn.
As The Spirit reported on November 26, one person who heard a recent MTA presentation felt they are treating Penn like a “big subway station. “The focus is on adding stairs and elevators for platform accessibility and egress, and new entrances midblock and on the northwest and southwest corners at 8th Avenue.”
For instance, no proposed glass-enclosed train hall on the east side of Madison Square Garden from 31st to 33rd streets.
The MTA representative told members of a “working advisory group” assembled by the railroads that preliminary engineering work uncovered a “set of unanticipated challenges.” There is a need for a “larger footprint” for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems as well as “critical building systems.” They also discovered “additional structural complexities.” (Meeting Summary / Updated Penn Plan)
The MTA is also trying to avoid federal environmental review–and public comment–of their work at Penn. They are trying to separate improving Penn from Amtrak’s plan for an estimated $17 billion underground, dead-end station for New Jersey Transit. That so-called “Penn Expansion” will have federal review and public input. The expansion plans call for the destruction of the block immediately south of Penn which contains affordable housing, local businesses, and several landmark quality buildings, including a beautiful late 20th century Catholic Church. We sent a letter to the Federal Railroad Administration objecting to eliminating Penn improvements from federal review.
We always maintained that Penn could be improved without demolishing nearby Midtown blocks. We have joined other groups in calling for an independent study of “through-running,” which would add capacity within the current station. Amtrak trains already go through the station to other destinations. But Amtrak maintains adding additional through-running capacity in Penn isn’t possible for at least another 60 years.
The Daily News editorial board has been a sharp and knowledgeable Amtrak critic. An editorial this past Sunday, called for Albany to scrap the plan that threatened to destroy blocks around Penn and return zoning power to the City. The editorial also demands scrapping the $17 billion plan for a new underground station and “plowing under a neighborhood as Amtrak is scheming.” The Conservancy supported two lawsuits challenging Albany’s zoning grab. One court ruled against us. The second opinion is pending.
What will happen at Penn? When will the Governor, who controls the MTA, give a public explanation of the newly found “unanticipated challenges,” Will she explain why the design competition she announced never materialized? Will she respond to the several groups and more than 2,400 persons who signed a recent petition calling for an independent review of through-running?
Taxpayers are footing the bill for Penn improvements and for the proposed new station for New Jersey Transit. Taxpayers need to know their money will be well spent…and they need to know why real improvements at Penn seem to have disappeared.
Peg Breen
President, The New York Landmarks Conservancy