[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Crawford

That isn't happening. The NYT article explains the process.

Empire Complex is basically being divided into two phases. The first phase is the rebuilding of the existing Penn.

It’s happening. It’s basically the Cuomo plan. You can see the renderings ( though as before, not designed towers).


https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governo...penn-station-and-revitalized-surrounding



She is basically combining what would have been two projects, purting emphasis on the existing station. But she’s no fool. It’s why only 1 msf of space was cut. It’s all still on, and FX Fowle was just signed for another year to make the site plan happen.

New, World-Class Train Facility

-Creates a single level, double-height train hall that doubles passenger circulation space on the new public level from approximately 123,000 square feet to approximately 250,000 square feet and eliminates the congested, cramped and crowded passageways in existing Penn Station

-Includes a 450-foot long sunlit train hall that is the size of Moynihan's and Grand Central's halls combined

-Simplifies navigation

-Creates clear sight lines to exits and entrances
Adds 18 more escalators or stairs and 11 more elevators to platforms

-Reduced Density

-Shaves off 1.4 million square feet of development from the previous plan and decreases heights for proposed buildings.

-Provides new design controls to protect views of the Empire State Building along 33rd Street

Public Realm and Social Services

-Adds ~8 acres of public space, including a 30,000-square foot plaza comparable in size to Rockefeller Plaza and mandates public space set-asides on each building site

-Creates a Public Realm Task Force comprised of community leaders and stakeholders, which will develop a plan of prioritized public realm improvements, to be funded by a Public Realm Fund, with initial revenue from redevelopment being dedicated to this fund

-Requires community facility spaces that will prioritize much-needed social services for the neighborhood, with a particular focus on New Yorkers experiencing homelessness

-Creates underground loading/unloading for MSG, taking trucks off the street

Affordable Housing

-Allows up to 1,800 residential units, of which 540 would be permanently affordable

-Mandates one building as residential, which will include 162 permanently affordable units - more than the entire number of residences that would be displaced if the southern expansion of Penn Station occurs

Public Transit Access and Shared Streets

-Expands new underground corridors to the Sixth Avenue IND line, allowing users of the 34th Street Herald Square Station (B, F, M, N, R, W lines) seamless access to Penn Station

-Nearly doubles the existing entrances to Penn Station from 12 to 20, and requires developers to add additional subway entrances and exits directly to and from buildings, ultimately reducing density and congestion at over-crowded entrances

-Widens sidewalks throughout the neighborhood and recommends that 31st, 32nd and 33rd Streets become shared streets that prioritize pedestrians

-Adds protected bike lanes and greatly expands bike parking while reducing vehicular parking

Pedestrian-Friendly Streetscape

-Limits the size of new building commercial lobbies

-Requires that 40% of every building frontage is an "active use" such as retail and community facilities