Post-Cuomo Penn Station Updates Could Move Project Forward

The controversial renovation of Penn Station could move forward with a scaled-back plan.

2 minute read

November 8, 2021, 5:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Penn Station Interior

littleny / Shutterstock

As Justin Davidson reports in Curbed, the long-awaited upgrade to New York's Penn Station could soon inch forward, with Governor Kathy Hochul promising a renovation "as soon as the necessary environmental review and assorted other approvals are complete, and when the money starts to flow from private investment in an office market that may or may not shake off its pandemic-induced torpor, and if Hochul wins reelection or her plan isn’t revised out of existence by her successor," a daunting series of hurdles for a project that has languished for years.

[T]he latest iteration pulls back slightly on the imperial city [former governor] Cuomo had envisioned for the area surrounding Penn Station, cutting some height and bulk from the forest of ten new towers. It makes nearly a third of the megaproject’s 1,800 apartments permanently affordable. New entrances will make the station more porous, and the surrounding streets will become more parklike and pedestrian, less like the fume-choked canyons they are now.

Last December, transit advocates welcomed the opening of the Moynihan Train Hall as a positive–but insufficient–step toward the full renovation of the station, which has not been remodeled since 1968. To significantly improve service, advocates say, Penn Station needs additional tracks and platforms and new tunnels, part of a project labeled Gateway that would increase Penn Station's capacity and accommodate the growing number of commuters that pass through it.

Wednesday, November 3, 2021 in Curbed

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

July 11 - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

July 11 - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

July 11 - Cities Today