NEW YORK | 15 Penn Plaza (Hotel Penn) | 1,050 FT / 315 M | 52 FLOORS

[NYguy]

http://www.pcac.org/2010/03/26/proposal-for-re-opening-the-gimbel-passageway/

Proposal for re-opening the “Gimbel Passageway”

March 26th, 2010

Vornado Realty Trust has proposed to build a signature office building on the site of the Pennsylvania Hotel, directly east of Penn Station. As part of the construction package Vornado has agreed to provide a number of transit improvements which includes the rehabilitation of the long closed Gimbel’s Passageway. The underground corridor lies between between the 33rd St. PATH station/NYCT subways BDFVNQRW on the east and NYCT 123 subway lines/Penn Station on the west.

This is an action that the NYCTRC has long called for! This link has been sorely missed since its closing in 1986 as it was an important connection for travelers. Its return would add a substantial component to regional mobility. This addition of a covered, well-lit, security monitored, accessible passageway, complemented by the activity of retail space along the south wall, is a win for everyone.


The Council is also pleased with the other proposed transit improvements: the widening of the 7th Avenue platform and new express stair widening; the four new subway entrances; the new ADA elevator; and improved circulation in the stations with new and widened stairs. These measures are greatly needed and the opportunity to see them implemented with no cost to the MTA or the City should not be missed.

While the above ground vision for a signature office building is not within the purview of the Council, we are excited about the possibility of the Penn Station area becoming a stronger commercial district, particularly in light of the Moynihan Station redevelopment that is now moving forward, the ultimate development of the MTA’s Hudson Yards and the coming ARC station under 34th Street.

Interesting website...
http://savethehotelpenn.blogspot.com/

[RobertWalpole]

COMPREHENSIVE CITY PLANNING CALENDAR of The City of New York
CITY PLANNING COMMISSION
WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 2010

PUBLIC HEARINGS OF THE FOLLOWING MATTERS TO BE SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2010

15 PENN PLAZA

BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN
Item Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6

[All the text HERE in pdf] (Pages 2 - 9)


No. 2: C 100047 ZMM

IN THE MATTER OF an application submitted by 401 Hotel REIT, LLC and 401 Commercial, L.P. pursuant to Sections 197-c and 201 of the New York City Charter for an amendment of the Zoning Map, Section No. 8d by changing from a C6-4.5 District to a C6- 6 District property bounded by West 33rd Street, a line 150 feet westerly of Avenue of the Americas, West 32nd Street, and a line 200 feet easterly of Seventh Avenue- Fashion Avenue, as shown on a diagram (for illustrative purposes only) dated February 8, 2010.

Resolution for adoption scheduling May 26, 2010 for a public hearing.


No. 3: N 100048 ZRM

IN THE MATTER OF an application submitted by 401 Hotel REIT, LLC and 401 Commercial, L.P. pursuant to Sections 197-c and 201 of the New York City Charter for an amendment of the Zoning Resolution of the City of New York, concerning Article VIII, Chapter 1 (Special Midtown District) relating to the applications for modification of height and setback and mandatory plan elements for the 15 Penn Plaza proposal.

81-066 Special permit modifications of Section 81-254, Section 81-40, and certain Sections of Article VII, Chapter 7

***

81-254 Special permit for height and setback modifications

***

81-50 SPECIAL REGULATIONS FOR THE PENN CENTER SUBDISTRICT

***

81-541 Rail mass transit facility improvement


No. 4: C 100049 ZSM

IN THE MATTER OF an application submitted by 401 Hotel REIT, LLC and 401 Commercial, L.P. pursuant to Sections 197-c and 201 of the New York City Charter for the grant of a special permit pursuant to Sections 81-066(b)* and 81-254* of the Zoning Resolution to modify:
1. the height and setback regulations of Section 81-27 (Alternative Height and Setback Regulations- Daylight Evaluation); and
2. the Mandatory District Plan Elements of Sections 81-42 (Retail Continuity along Designated Streets), 81-43 (Street Wall Continuity Along Designated Streets), 81- 45 (Pedestrian Circulation Space), 81-47 (Major Building Entrances), and the design standards for pedestrian circulation spaces of Section 37-53(f) (Sidewalk Widening);

No. 5: C 100050 ZSM

IN THE MATTER OF an application submitted by 401 Hotel REIT, LLC and 401 Commercial, L.P. pursuant to Sections 197-c and 201 of the New York City Charter for the grant of a special permit pursuant to Sections 81-541* and 74-634 of the Zoning Resolution to allow a floor area bonus not to exceed 20 percent of the basic maximum floor area ratio permitted by the underlying district regulations for subway station and/or rail mass transit facility improvements ...


No. 6: C 100237 PQM

IN THE MATTER OF an application submitted by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, pursuant to Section 197-c of the New York City Charter for the acquisition of easements bounded by Sixth and Seventh avenues, West 32nd and West 33rd streets (Block 808, Lots 40, 1001 and 1002), Borough of Manhattan, Community District 5, to facilitate the construction of transit entrances, a below-ground pedestrian passageway, and other mass transit improvements.

***

NOTICE

On Wednesday, May 26, 2010, at 10:00 a.m., in Spector Hall, at the Department of City Planning, 22 Reade Street, in Lower Manhattan, a public hearing is being held by the City Planning Commission in conjunction with the above ULURP hearing to receive comments related to the 15 Penn Plaza Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) concerning Amendments to the Zoning Map and the text of the Zoning Resolution (ZR); easement acquisitions; various special permits modifying mandatory District Plan elements as well as height and setback regulations within the Special Midtown District, a floor area bonus in exchange for Subway Station and Rail Mass Transit Facility Improvements, and other related actions, to facilitate the construction of a new commercial office building (known as “15 Penn Plaza”) on the block bounded by Seventh Avenue on the west, Avenue of the Americas on the east, West 33rd Street on the north, and West 32nd and Street on the south (Block 808, Lots 1001 and 1002), located in Manhattan Community District 5.

This hearing is being held pursuant to the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR), CEQR No. 09DCP019M.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by RobertWalpole

On Wednesday, May 26, 2010, at 10:00 a.m., in Spector Hall, at the Department of City Planning, 22 Reade Street, in Lower Manhattan, a public hearing is being held by the City Planning Commission in conjunction with the above ULURP hearing to receive comments related to the 15 Penn Plaza Draft Environmental Impact Statement

I'm less interested in what the public has to say (only NIMBYs attend these things) than what Amanda Burden has to say about the design. This is pretty much a City Planning backed tower, but since the community board took its own Tower Verre argument, and turned it upside down, Amanda Burden will have to address it:

http://www.cb5.org/cb5/resolutions/april_/#15_penn_plaza

WHEREAS, By proposing what would be the third tallest building in New York City and a major addition to the city's skyline, Community Board Five is disappointed that the proposed building/s designs are bulky, uninspired, massive, and fail to seize this opportunity to add beauty and distinction to the New York City skyline and streetscape;

No longer is the tower too tall, it just isn't beautiful enough.

[meh_cd]

Originally Posted by NYguy

I'm less interested in what the public has to say (only NIMBYs attend these things) than what Amanda Burden has to say about the design. This is pretty much a City Planning backed tower, but since the community board took its own Tower Verre argument, and turned it upside down, Amanda Burden will have to address it:



No longer is the tower too tall, it just isn't beautiful enough.

I hate to sound like Charlie Brown, but good grief.

[uaarkson]

It's not like this building is just another sterile glass box either. Where were these people when the armies of 70s-80s style black boxes started popping up like weeds? The base conforms to the street and has retail space, and the tower is a skyline defining eye-catcher. What is it exactly that they want?

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by uaarkson

What is it exactly that they want?

They want to ruin anything anybody else wants. This project has nothing but positives, so they have to resort to criticizing the design.

[Zapatan]

Why do I have the feeling that these morons are going to be listened to? We need some intelligent people to show up to these meetings.

[STERNyc]

There used to be a 35th to 42nd Street passageway? Thats insane! Anyone have more information about this? They should reopen it!

[BStyles]

Originally Posted by STERNyc

There used to be a 35th to 42nd Street passageway? Thats insane! Anyone have more information about this? They should reopen it!

New York is one of those ancient cities with it's own set of underground passageways and labyrinths. I'm guessing that it used to lead from the Herald Square station waaaaaaay back in the day, directly to the hotel. Just like the East Side Access utilizing the unused lower level tunnels on the F line. A good example of this is Grand Central.

Anyway, when I came back to the city for a week, I went over from Penn station to 15 Penn to see what the fuss was all about. There's something pictures say that actions don't. The hotel is dilapidated, and the adjacent 32nd street is dark and gloomy in it's presence. So I said "wait. why are they saving this again?"

Maybe if the hotel had a better reputation and was brought up to 2010 standards, minus the bed bugs, I would have reconsidered the hotel idea, but it doesn't look very historical in my conntext. You do know that if the new tower was built, it would bring some light into 32nd street, while also providing an extension to retail for the Manhattan Mall. So, in other words, I changed my mind about 15 Penn. Put on some hard hats and build this tower!

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by STERNyc

There used to be a 35th to 42nd Street passageway? Thats insane! Anyone have more information about this? They should reopen it!

I've read about it, and have seen glimpses of photos somewhere, I'll have to search. Here's a link with some info on it...
http://secondavenuesagas.com/2010/04/15/twenty-years-later-subway-passageways-lost-to-time/

Originally Posted by BStyles

Anyway, when I came back to the city for a week, I went over from Penn station to 15 Penn to see what the fuss was all about. There's something pictures say that actions don't. The hotel is dilapidated, and the adjacent 32nd street is dark and gloomy in it's presence. So I said "wait. why are they saving this again?"

It's been a dump for years. But two things working against it are location and size.

[NYguy]

Stern, I think these may be some of those photos...

newpennstation












I'm sure there are no rats down there at all...

This one shows the Gimbels Passageway that will be reopend and enlarged...

[Ordo_]

Originally Posted by uaarkson

It's not like this building is just another sterile glass box either. Where were these people when the armies of 70s-80s style black boxes started popping up like weeds?

Because it curves its not sterile?

This tower is a direct descendant of those "sterile glass box"es that you protest, towers that I think are some of the best architecture ever constructed.

[Dac150]

Wow, that would be awesome if they ended up reopening and refurbishing all of that. So much potential with all that space.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Dac150

Wow, that would be awesome if they ended up reopening and refurbishing all of that. So much potential with all that space.

But then, where would nyc transit store all of its crap?... Whenever I see subway passageways, I think "storage". The MTA has no money for such improvements now, so if any of this gets done at all, it would be through a private developer. That's why the Gimbel's passageway reopening and all of its related transit improvements are what will get Vornado the bonus it needs to get the tower built at the proposed size. I don't foresee any problems with that being approved.

[Dac150]

Originally Posted by NYguy

That's why the Gimbel's passageway reopening and all of its related transit improvements are what will get Vornado the bonus it needs to get the tower built at the proposed size.

Something other developers should take note of. You would think something like this would ‘to a degree’ win over any opposition. This project is a good example of integration for enhancement. They’re not just building a tower; they’re building a foundation for a revitalized district which the city will benefit from.

[uaarkson]

Originally Posted by Ordo_

Because it curves its not sterile?

This tower is a direct descendant of those "sterile glass box"es that you protest, towers that I think are some of the best architecture ever constructed.

I meant sterile in the sense of no interaction with street, something this tower would have plenty of.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by Dac150

They’re not just building a tower; they’re building a foundation for a revitalized district which the city will benefit from.

That's exactly right. Forward that quote to City Planning, though I'm sure you don't need to tell them that...

[NYguy]

A little more on this ever expanding transit network...
http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20100318/REAL_ESTATE/100319879#

Architecture firm picked for Moynihan Station
Skidmore Owings & Merrill selected to design first phase of work to convert Farley Post Office into a new train station.

By James Comtois
May 18, 2010

The Moynihan Station Development Corp. has tapped the architecture firm Skidmore Owings & Merrill to begin design work on phase one of the proposed Moynihan Station.

Skidmore, which signed the contract today, has taken a leading role in the advocacy and design of this infrastructure project since the 1990s and has worked on several prior iterations of the new station.

“With the signing of this amended contract, we move one step closer toward the long-awaited Moynihan Station. The continuation of this partnership begins the first phase of this project, which will finally kick off this year,” said Gov. David Paterson, in a statement.

The first proposed phase of the project includes five major transportation and infrastructure-related components: extending the west-end concourse beneath the post office building; improving platform ventilation; improving signal work; upgrading the connector between the post office and the existing Penn Station beneath West 33rd Street; and adding two new entry points on either side of the post office's grand staircase on the west side of Eighth Avenue.

[Dac150]

Well this is certainly a good first step in the right direction.

[Zapatan]

Sometimes I wonder if the people who are behind these projects go to the meetings where the NIMBY's are to show how nonsensical they are, I sure hope so.