Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced two exciting initiatives for the West Side. On Sunday the Governor announced a proposal to require the NYPD tow pound to vacate Pier 76 in the Hudson River by the end of this year. In 1998, the State Hudson River Park Act (which I sponsored in the Assembly) required the City to use its “best efforts” to vacate the Pier so it would become part of the Park. It’s long overdue.
The ownership of the nearly 250,000 square-foot Pier 76, located near West 38th Street across 12th Avenue from the High Line, the Javits Center, and Hudson Yards, will then be transferred to the Hudson River Park Trust (HRPT) and the Pier will become part of the Park. HRPT will develop a plan for Pier 76 and for Pier 40, located near West Houston Street. Planning for Pier 40 has also been in limbo for years. The plan is to balanced maximizing open space and recognizing the financial needs of the Hudson River Park on both piers. The community is to be involved in developing the plan. I’m joining Manhattan Community Board 4 and other elected officials representing the Hudson River waterfront in enthusiastically supporting the Governor’s initiatives for the Park. Second, earlier today, Governor Cuomo announced that the State plans to transform Penn Station, including easier access to the street and to trains and adding eight new tracks under the block south of the Station (30th to 31st Streets, Seventh to Eighth Avenues). This will increase its train capacity by 40 percent. This will help assure Penn Station’s vital role as the busiest transit hub in the Western Hemisphere long into the future. Governor Cuomo also announced that the new Moynihan Station being developed in the old Post Office building will open in December 2020. Happy New Year!
