Gov. Hochul after 'wow factor'; wants to turn Penn into bright, airy transit hub

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday outlined her plan to fast-track the transformation of Penn Station into a bright, airy and "uplifting" transit hub, and to scale back some elements of former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s plan to redevelop the surrounding neighborhood.

Hochul’s plan incorporates several elements of a proposal by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to knock down much of Penn’s upper level, and gives added priority to Long Island Rail Road commuters, rather than developers or train passengers from other states.

"Everybody looks downward when they’re in Penn Station. I want them to look upward. I want them to experience light," Hochul said. "I want there to be a ‘wow factor’ for people who are visiting for the first time."

Although Amtrak and Cuomo both had plans in place for upgrades at Penn, which moved more than 600,000 people a day before the coronavirus pandemic, their proposed fixes were packaged with other initiatives, including the massive "Gateway" megaproject to build two tunnels across the Hudson River, and a plan to take over the block south of Penn to build up to nine tracks for New Jersey Transit and Amtrak trains. Hochul said those plans could have delayed fixes to the existing Penn Station until 2035.

"That just did not work for me," said Hochul, who noted New York got a new first-class transit facility last year with Moynihan Train Hall, just across from Penn. Hochul said the new building is "beautiful, but it primarily serves Amtrak riders."

"The existing Penn Station serves New Yorkers," she said. "I believe they deserve a transformative experience as well."

Hochul’s plan would cost between $6 billion and $7 billion and count on financial aid from the federal government and from New Jersey. The proposed work would begin soon after the scheduled December 2022 completion of the MTA’s East Side Access project, which will give the LIRR a second Manhattan terminal and take some pressure off Penn.

"We have a rare window of opportunity to get the job done now," said MTA acting chairman and chief executive officer Janno Lieber, who lobbied Hochul to support the agency’s Penn Station renovation plan. "We’ve got to get this done. We can’t let the moment slip by."

The plan features ceilings as tall as 148 feet that allow natural light onto the customer concourse. Eighteen escalators and stairways would be added, along with 11 elevators.

The MTA had been wrangling over the plan with Amtrak, which recently moved its operations to Moynihan but intended to keep Penn’s upper level for expanded retail. Hochul called that plan "a disconnect from reality. People aren’t going to go to a train station to do their holiday shopping or buy a fancy purse."

Kevin Law, the Suffolk County representative on the MTA board, praised Hochul for making Penn Station and its commuters — most of whom live on Long Island — a priority.

"Penn Station can’t be neglected. It can’t be the orphan of transit hubs in the city," Law said. "It needs the same type of TLC from the state and federal government that other transit hubs have been receiving."

Like Cuomo’s plan, Hochul’s proposal relies on revenue generated from developing 10 skyscrapers around Penn to help pay for the transit improvements. Responding to a backlash from Manhattan residents and elected officials, however, Hochul’s plan reduces the height and density of the new developments, and requires that space be set aside for housing and social services. It also commits 8 acres of new open space, including for wider sidewalks and bike lanes.

New buildings also would be required to include entrances directly into Penn.

Brian Fritsch, of the Regional Plan Association — a planning and transportation advocacy group — said the plan means a "safer, saner station" for Long Island commuters.

"There’s no negatives here. Everybody knows how difficult the station has been to get around. We need a smart, unified station," Fritsch said. "I think this is a big step in the right direction."

By Alfonso A. Castillo

alfonso.castillo@newsday.com@alfonsoreports

Alfonso Castillo has been reporting for Newsday since 1999 and covering the transportation beat since 2008. He grew up in the Bronx and Queens and now lives in Valley Stream with his wife and two sons.