Checking in with a plan to add a record amount of development space to New York City, championed by the beleaguered governor of New York.
"Even amid multiple scandals, a weakened Gov. Andrew Cuomo is trying to railroad through a city-changing land deal that would reshape Manhattan’s skyline," report Josefa Velasquez and Rachel Holliday Smith.
The governor first proposed the plan in question, called the Empire Station Complex plan, in 2016, but the idea has gained momentum in 2021. Still, Gov. Cuomo faces one big obstacle for the plan in getting a $1.3 billion bond deal to fund the project through the New York State legislature.
Gov. Cuomo's push is hinging on "an almost irresistible carrot," according to the article: "the dream of finally fixing everyone’s least favorite transit hub — Penn Station."
The project would include the development of ten large buildings, according to the article, by 2038 in an area dubbed "The Penn District." One of the buildings, called Penn 15, would be comparable to the size of the Empire State Building, according to early project renderings. In all, the development would add 20 million square feet of development—larger than the record-breaking 18-million square feet of development added by the Hudson Yards development.
The article reporting the status of the Empire Station Complex plan is presented in context of an ongoing controversy about Gov. Cuomo's conduct toward women while in office.
FULL STORY: Embattled Cuomo Pushes Skyline-Altering Penn Station Real Estate Plan as Critics Mobilize
Post-Cuomo Penn Station Updates Could Move Project Forward
The controversial renovation of Penn Station could move forward with a scaled-back plan.
Massive Empire Station Complex Project to Revamp Penn Station Area Moves Forward
The proposed Empire Station Complex project would link an upgraded Penn Station, the newly opened Moynihan Train Hall, and a tentative new terminal one block south of Penn Station.
Massive, Expensive Redevelopment of Midtown Manhattan Proposed
New York Governor Cuomo's State of the State speeches last week included an ambitious proposal for a large-scale redevelopment project on Manhattan's west side, adjacent to Penn Station.
Planning for Congestion Relief
The third and final installment of Planetizen's examination of the role of the planning profession in both perpetuating and solving traffic congestion.
Minneapolis Housing Plan a Success—Not for the Reason You Think
Housing advocates praise the city’s move to eliminate single-family zoning by legalizing triplexes on single-family lots, but that isn’t why housing construction is growing.
New White House Housing Initiative Includes Zoning Reform Incentives
The Biden administration this morning released a new program of actions intended to spur housing construction around the United States.
Proposed Transit Line Would Connect Downtown Tucson to Airport
Based on community input for a 15-mile transit line, residents want to see a focus on affordable housing development and anti-displacement measures.
Strip Malls as a Housing Solution
The American strip mall may be a dying breed of commercial development, but could the buildings serve a new use as sustainable housing?
Study: Most of Vancouver Is a ‘15-Minute City’
A large majority of Vancouver residents can access a grocery store in 15 minutes or less by bicycle or on foot.
Urban Planning Partners
Sandy City
Ada County Highway District
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Redwood City
City of Rohnert Park
City of Hot Springs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
