The Trump administration is backing off a plan to expand Penn Station by tearing down an entire block in Midtown Manhattan.
During a press conference outside the Midtown transit hub on Aug. 27, federal officials announced a new timeline to redevelop the dilapidated transit hub, noting that they would begin seeking proposals for its long-sought redevelopment in October with the hope of beginning construction on the project in 2027, according to the Gothamist, a New York City online news site.
But those same officials said they would no longer entertain any proposals requiring the demolition of a block south of 31st Street, which Amtrak officials had floated for years.
Andy Byford, the former head of NYC Transit who was tapped to lead the Penn Station project for Amtrak earlier this year, said "at the moment we're putting that on hold."
"It must be about making the station operationally sound, safe, clean and easy to navigate," he said. "I want in the future this station to ooze excellence in every form."
On display at the press conference were the first set of plans for the new redesign of Penn Station since the Trump administration took over the $7 billion construction project from New York City's Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) last spring.
The decision against razing the city block contradicts a joint report released last year by Amtrak, the MTA and New Jersey (NJ) Transit that found a Penn Station expansion would be necessary to handle additional train traffic enabled by the Gateway project, which is now under construction. That enterprise aims to build a new Hudson River train tunnel and double passenger railroad capacity.
Byford said Penn Station's existing footprint could handle more train traffic if it were to implement "through-running," or consolidating NJ Transit and Long Island Rail Road service so each railroad would not need to stop and turn around after reaching Midtown.
Federal officials said they aim to run the project as a public-private partnership, similar to the one created by Port Authority of New York and New Jersey officials to rebuild LaGuardia Airport, which was largely funded by airline companies.
New Penn Station Could Force Madison Square Garden to Relocate
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Aug. 27 that the Penn Station redevelopment project would be kick-started with a $43 million federal grant. He brushed aside concerns that Amtrak would have any problem cooperating with the MTA and NJ Transit, saying the project is a priority for President Trump.
However, the fate of Madison Square Garden, which sits atop Penn Station, remains uncertain. Byford left open the possibility that the arena may have to relocate and because its permit to operate above the transit hub expires in 2028, he said he would consider designs that force it to move.
"Some [plans] are predicated on the Garden staying put; some are predicated on the Garden moving, [but] I'm not going to opine on that," he said. "I would rather we see what ideas are out there, and then we'll deal with [them] at a later date."
Competing visions for upgrading the train station, though, have already been released by outside parties, Gothamist reported.
A Trump-backed group called the Grand Penn Alliance has released sketches for a Penn Station built with Roman columns and "classical architecture." That plan would move Madison Square Garden across Seventh Avenue to a lot formerly occupied by the Hotel Pennsylvania.
Another idea, endorsed by the international firm of ASTM, would remake the station with large glass entrances and keep the famed sports and entertainment arena in place.
The MTA did not respond to a request from Gothamist for comment about the new timeline.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said it was one of the first topics she discussed with Trump in January and is glad to see movement on the Penn Station project.
"Those conversations successfully secured federal funding in April to advance redevelopment, allowing us to reallocate over $1 billion for other critical projects," Hochul wrote in a statement. "With Secretary Duffy now advancing this project and requesting design proposals, New Yorkers are one step closer to a station worthy of this great city."
