Manhattan Has a Glut of Empty Offices. Hochul Wants to Build More.

The broad parameters of the project were introduced before the pandemic by former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who began leaving his mark on this area of Manhattan with the renovation of the Moynihan Train Hall and believed that grand public projects would define his political legacy. After Mr. Cuomo resigned in 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations, his successor, Governor Hochul, pushed forward with the project while making modest changes, such as adding an outdoor plaza.

“Encouraging transit-oriented development in one of New York City’s prime business districts while finally delivering a new, world-class Penn Station that New Yorkers deserve is not only smart strategy — it makes sense,” Matthew Gorton, a spokesman for Empire State Development, the agency overseeing the project, said on behalf of the governor’s office. “Time and again, history has proved betting against New York is a losing proposition.”

The new towers would encompass roughly 18 million square feet of new space surrounding Madison Square Garden, which sits above Penn Station. About three-quarters of the additional space would be devoted to offices, while the rest would provide ground-level storefronts, up to 1,800 residential units and a 472-room hotel. The towers would include new entrances to the transit station.

The final dimensions of the buildings have not been determined, but the state said it would not impose a maximum height except on one site.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/29/nyregion/manhattan-offices-hochul.html