Governor Hochul announces new plans for Penn Station

As AN has reported extensively, the controversy round Vornado’s involvement within the improvement round Penn Station, quite a few proposals for the station design itself, conflicting views on transit infrastructure (most prominently through-running), and aesthetic disagreements over the brand new station have marred the public-private partnership undertaking. At a press convention as we speak, Governor Kathy Hochul formally introduced that the state could be taking a stronger route in main the undertaking away from contingencies on personal improvement on surrounding blocks, and with an open thoughts to how the station will likely be designed because the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) issued a Discover to Proceed on design proposals. 

On the press convention, Governor Hochul mentioned that the state will now not formally hyperlink the Vornado redevelopment, which she had obtained criticism for being a fan of, to the event of the station, although that doesn’t imply that surrounding blocks is not going to see redevelopment sooner or later. The state has already accredited $1.3 billion for the station’s reconstruction, with further funding “anticipated through cost-sharing among the many railroads that use the station and federal grant applications being aggressively pursued,” in keeping with the Governor’s workplace. The Governor’s workplace additionally famous that Penn Station’s redevelopment has already been listed on the Northeast Hall Challenge Stock precedence listing, which opens it as much as further federal funding sources. 

Architecturally vital, Governor Hochul additionally advised that station redevelopment could proceed with out the prevailing design group. FXCollaborative, WSP, and John McAslan + Companions had been awarded a one-year, $58 million contract for preliminary design, although the Governor has now mentioned that there could also be a number of design schemes thought-about shifting ahead, and described as we speak because the “starting” of the design course of. This information comes because the ASTM-fronted consortium plan is about to be launched on June 28.

Newly-released renderings from the Governor’s workplace present an airier, brighter Penn Station, that’s aesthetically contiguous with the current renovations to the Lengthy Island Rail Highway part of the station. Renderings depict a mid-block prepare corridor framed beneath an undulating glass ceiling and multilevel concourse coloured with white paneling. The designs depict ample procuring alternatives, although not seating—the frequent, and warranted, gripe about Moynihan Prepare Corridor. Any potential upgrades to platforms themselves are usually not proven, and it isn’t arduous to think about pedestrian bottlenecks just like those at Moynihan given the platform-access and concourse circulation proven. 

MTA CEO Janno Lieber mentioned that “The undertaking will dramatically improve passengers’ expertise by rising ceiling heights, bringing in pure daylight, and creating higher wayfinding and entry to platforms. This Discover to Proceed begins the method through which we are going to rebuild Penn Station responsibly and—most vital—getting going earlier than Metro-North service begins in only a few years.”

On the outside, renderings depict Penn Station’s entrance with massive, floor-to-ceiling glass spans, and a swooping roof (suppose Eero Saarinen’s Yale Whale, however brighter and fewer playful). Massive glass spans could really feel at dwelling subsequent to close by workplace tower entrances, although it does have the looks of an Apple retailer. It does ship on the state’s objectives of letting extra daylight into the station, and prevents Madison Sq. Backyard from shifting. 

The Governor’s workplace mentioned that along with the station itself, design enhancements to surrounding areas will likely be a part of the yet-to-be-finalized design. This might embrace “wider sidewalks, public areas for occasions and particular events, improved wayfinding, and specialised road lighting,” all of which might be built-in into not solely Penn Station, however for followers and concertgoers coming into the Backyard as nicely. 

AN will proceed to report as proposals for Penn Station proceed to be introduced and as public officers proceed to supply route on public-sector involvement.