Statement on the Announcement of Penn Transformation Partners as Penn Station Master Developer
By MAS President Keri Butler
Decisions being made about Penn Station today will shape the future of our city and region for the next century. While the Municipal Art Society of New York has long advocated for relocating Madison Square Garden as the best path toward a renewed Penn Station, the Penn Transformation Partners team has demonstrated that integrating MSG into a rebuilt Penn Station through the removal of the theater offers the most efficient way to deliver a world-class station for New York City.
While we await the release of the team’s designs, the concepts previously shared by this team suggest this approach could create a dynamic new entrance on Eighth Avenue, a light-filled train hall with access to all existing tracks, a significantly improved experience for millions of daily travelers, and a cohesive Penn district with a more vibrant public realm and stronger connections to Moynihan Train Hall. We encourage all stakeholders to work collaboratively to deliver a station transformation with accountability and transparency.
For more than 50 years, riders have endured a station that is confusing, overcrowded, and inadequate for the demands placed upon it. Designed to handle just 200,000 daily passengers, Penn Station now serves more than 600,000 people per day—and often does so poorly. Service delays and travel disruptions have become routine, all within a facility that lacks the modern safety features, accessibility, and amenities expected of contemporary rail hubs.
We must ensure that this once-in-a-generation opportunity to redesign this critical infrastructure does not repeat the shortcomings of the current facility. The selected proposal must address longstanding issues of safety and congestion while meeting the capacity needs of a growing metropolis. Equally importantly, it should improve the public realm surrounding the station and create lasting civic value for New Yorkers and visitors alike.
For decades, MAS has fought for New York City’s grand civic transportation centers—from saving Grand Central Terminal to advocating for a world-class Penn Station. As a member of the New York Penn Station Working Advisory Group, MAS will continue to push for a transformative, publicly facing station that meets the region’s needs now and for generations to come.
Help us continue our planning advocacy on behalf of New York City.
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