Gotham Gazette

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Penn Station

Penn Station

  • Max Politics Podcast: Comptroller DiNapoli on State & MTA Finances, Penn Station Redevelopment, & More

    Comptroller Tom DiNapoli (photo: @NYSComptroller)


    August 2, 2022 - Comptroller DiNapoli on State & MTA Finances, & More

    New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli joined the show to discuss state and MTA finances, the New York economy, use of federal pandemic aid, the Penn Station area redevelopment plan, the New York City budget limbo over school funding cuts, and more.

    Listen to the conversation and let us know what you think, on Twitter @TweetBenMax. You can listen to the show through the embedded audio below or download

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  • New York’s Opportunity to Let Sunlight into Penn Station Plan and Other Economic Development Projects

    Penn Station redevelopment rendering (photo: MTA)


    A landmark open government bill passed the New York State Senate last week with a unanimous vote and the Assembly this week. The bill (S8419A-A9622-C))would amend the urban development corporation act in relation to community advisory committees and usher new sunshine into how New York does some of its economic development

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  • This Train is Not Ready to Leave the Station: Why the State Must Rethink the Plan for Penn

    Penn Station area rendering under current proposal (photo: MTA)


    New York State’s plan to reconstruct and expand Penn Station through a complete redevelopment of the blocks surrounding the station will have one of the most transformational effects on our community for the next century. The current station is the result of one of the worst planning decisions ever made in this city: razing the architectural marvel that was the former Penn Station and replacing it with the claustrophobic underground maze we deal with today. It is critical we use this moment to be bold and

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  • Penn Station Needs a Complete Overhaul. We Must Start Now.

    Cuomo Penn Station

    (photo: Don Pollard/Governor's Office)


    For decades, Penn Station has wreaked havoc on the lives of hardworking New Yorkers, and seriously stained our city’s reputation as a global cultural and economic hub. But all hope is not lost; the door is opening for significant improvements to finally be made.

    We’re now just a few short years away from the opening of Moynihan Train Hall and East Side Access. These two important projects, which will temporarily reduce the number of passengers travelling through Penn, present a brief window for significant

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  • Simple, Big Solutions for Penn’s Problems

    ReThinkNYC Penn Station

    The original Penn Station was an architectural masterpiece. The most ironic part about removing it in a “monumental act of vandalism,” though, is that as a transit facility the original Penn Station had serious flaws. In fact, the platforms and tracks haven’t been significantly altered in more than a century.

    Unfortunately, those flaws are growing more obvious by the day. Narrow, crowded platforms and grossly inadequate stairs and escalators are a constant source of delays, dangerous overcrowding and frustration for commuters. But most importantly, Penn

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  • New Jersey is About to Elect a New Governor. Why It Matters to New York

    Cuomo Christie NY NJ

    Governors Cuomo and Christie (photo: Governor Cuomo's Office)


    After competitive primaries, the New Jersey gubernatorial race is now between Republican Kim Guadagno and Democrat Phil Murphy. As the candidates head toward November's Election Day, New Yorkers may want to pay attention to the race and how each major party candidate might affect New York if elected.

    Given the proximity and relationship between the two states, particularly in relation to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the fact that New York's workforce includes many

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  • To Fix Penn Station, Think Smaller

    Cuomo penn station plan presser

    Cuomo with a new Penn Station plan (photo: Kevin P. Coughlin, Governor's Office)


    Governor Cuomo deserves credit for jumpstarting the Moynihan Station project this week, albeit under a different moniker. After decades of neglect, commuters and long-distance travelers deserve light, air, and dignity.

    But Cuomo's plan neglects the deeper problems that have long plagued Penn

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