The Penn Station rebuild

The story so far

1. Jul 24, 2026 Latest

   Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy asked Congress to direct Amtrak to rename New York Penn Station as part of the $8 billion rebuild, and Sen. Chuck Schumer said the move would turn a New York landmark into what he called a monument to Duffy himself.

   Breaking NYC News & Local Headlines | New York Post Gothamist Politics | Spectrum News NY1 Streetsblog New York City

2. Jul 17, 2026

   A federal study found Amtrak could boost rush-hour Penn Station service by a third without razing a Midtown city block, an alternative Gov. Hochul and rebuild chief Andy Byford have pushed instead.

   Gothamist

3. Jun 25, 2026

   Lieber declined to sign Amtrak's collaboration agreement, which would have given the federal government more say over decisions the MTA's 160-year lease already covers. Amtrak adviser Andy Byford said construction proceeds anyway, beginning by the end of 2027.

   6sqft

4. Jun 24, 2026

   MTA chair Janno Lieber accused the Trump administration of "pulling a fast one" at Penn Station, calling the federal contractor selection opaque.

   amNewYork

5. Jun 23, 2026

   MTA chair Janno Lieber called Amtrak's Penn Station planning bizarre and declined to join as a partner, citing the LIRR's prepaid lease running through 2186 that gives the MTA approval rights over construction within or affecting the northern half of the station. The lease also bars alterations that unduly burden train operations or affect the structural integrity of the leasehold.

   Gothamist

6. Jun 8, 2026

   Amtrak and Penn Transformation Partners unveiled a design by Practice for Architecture and Urbanism, led by Vishaan Chakrabarti, featuring a single-level concourse and a roughly 90-foot-tall Eighth Avenue entrance structure replacing the Infosys Theater. Design and permitting were slated to run through 2027, with groundbreaking by the end of that year.

   Amtrak Media

7. May 20, 2026

   USDOT and Amtrak named Penn Transformation Partners, a Halmar and Skanska joint venture, as master developer for the Penn Station renovation, with a new Eighth Avenue entrance and train hall, expanded concourses, and $200 million in additional federal funding for design and permitting. Groundbreaking was targeted for the end of 2027.

   Amtrak Media

8. Apr 17, 2025

   The Trump administration took control of the roughly $7 billion Penn Station reconstruction from the MTA and handed leadership to Amtrak, which owns the station, combining the rebuild and expansion under a single federal grant. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy cited MTA mismanagement, while Hochul called the use of federal funds a $1.3 billion savings for New York taxpayers.

   Gothamist

9. Jun 1, 2023

   In June 2023, Gov. Kathy Hochul dropped Vornado's ten office towers from the Penn Station plan, saying she no longer wanted them to delay the rebuild. The state had committed $1.3 billion toward the estimated $7 billion project, with the rest expected from federal grants.

   6sqft

10. Feb 1, 2023

    In February 2023, Vornado Realty Trust paused its Penn District plans, with CEO Steven Roth calling new construction almost impossible in the current market. The state's plan had counted on tax revenue from Vornado's roughly ten new buildings to fund the station reconstruction.

    6sqft

11. Jan 6, 2020

    Gov. Andrew Cuomo proposed the Empire Station Complex, integrating a modernized Penn Station, the Moynihan Train Hall, and a new terminal one block south. The plan promised eight new tracks and a 40 percent capacity increase at a station then serving more than 650,000 daily passengers.

    6sqft

12. Oct 28, 1963

    Jackhammers began demolishing the original Pennsylvania Station, the McKim, Mead and White landmark that had opened on September 8, 1910. Public outcry over the loss led Mayor Robert Wagner to sign the Landmarks Law on April 15, 1965, creating the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

    Museum of the City of New York