Our Advocacy

Last Chance to Testify Against the Penn Station Proposal

The Historic Districts Council, along with our partners at the Empire Zone Coalition, is working to educate the public about the Penn Station Area proposal, a far-reaching plan that calls for the redevelopment of the area around Penn Station. Over 2300 residents will be threatened with eviction. It will cost the city billions of dollars, while not solving the infrastructure issues with Penn Station. Ten new supertall buildings will be constructed in an area dominated by  empty office buildings. Landmark-worthy buildings, including ten National Register eligible buildings, will be demolished. Penn Station has serious transportation issues that need to be fixed and this proposal in no way does that.

Written testimony may be delivered in writing to ESD, 633 Third Avenue, New York, New York 10017 (Attention: Stacey Teran), on or before 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 22, 2022; or sent by e-mail to [email protected] or [email protected], on or before 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 22, 2022.

Use this link to urge your City, State and Federal officials to tell Governor Hochul not to support the proposal.

https://act.myngp.com/Forms/6895921632499731456

It is also essential that you ask Chair Sarah Carroll of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission to schedule designation hearings for the eleven buildings deemed eligible for landmark status in the plan’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

A video of the panel discussion from February 17 is now available on the HDC’s YouTube channel. Please feel free to share it.


Our colleagues at Human Scale NYC have also prepared an action plan and petition

Action Plan:

https://www.humanscale.nyc/how-to-help/

Please sign the petition below to tell our state officials you are opposed to the damaging Empire Station Complex redevelopment plan.



Read Gothamist’s article A Skybridge, A Church, That Bar On The Corner: What The City Could Lose With Penn Station Redevelopment

A detailed examination of what would be lost if the plan goes ahead.


Read Untapped New York’s article AT RISK: THE LANDMARK-ELIGIBLE BUILDINGS AROUND PENN STATION

“This list of buildings at risk includes not only the Penn Station Service Building (also known as the power plant or powerhouse) but a total of 10 buildings that could be eligible for New York City landmark designation and 38 buildings that could be eligible for State and/or National Register status. ”


Empire Station Coalition Members: 29th Street Association, City Club of NY, CNY NYC, Hell’s Kitchen Block Association, Historic Districts Council, Human-Scale NYC, RethinkNYC, Limited Equity and Affordability at Penn South, Midtown South Community Council, Penn-Area Residents Committee, TakeBackNYC, and the Victorian Society New York.