Cornell University // FALL 2023 // ARCH 4101 // GARY BATES // ‘NOVEDAD’

Home to one of the world’s busiest train hubs, the Penn Station sub-district faces the challenges of high vehicle traffic, limited access to parks and open space, and a dense clustering of new office buildings, Penn 1 and Penn 2, which have done little to mitigate the ills of the congested rail station. These challenges, paired with New York City’s shortage of affordable housing stock, have led us to reimagine a new Penn Plaza, one that is not only home to a plentiful amount of public green space, seamlessly programmed with food and beverage offering and a connection to Madison Square Garden, but also the site of 1978 new housing units of varying scales for different styles of living. As the nearest parks to Penn Plaza, Chelsea Park, and Bryant Park fall over half a mile away, our approach to redevelopment has taken an eco-friendly, pedestrian-centered angle. Initiated by a rearranging of traffic patterns and closing of West 33rd St (between 7th and 8th Avenues) to vehicles, we envision a new urban oasis that will concurrently serve as a relaxation and gathering space for the Knicks fans entering MSG, the Tri-State commuter awaiting the next NJ Transit train, or the soon-to-be resident unwinding with friends
after a long work week.