NY Governor unveils plan to revamp Pennsylvania Station

NEW York Governor Kathy Hochul offered her vision for redeveloping Manhattan's Pennsylvania Station and the surrounding neighbourhood, scaling back plans championed by her predecessor Andrew Cuomo.

The new proposal focuses on modernising the existing rail hub instead of building a new terminal, Hochul announced Wednesday. The reimagined Penn Station - serving Long Island Rail Road and NJ Transit commuters - will be on a single-level, doubling circulation space on the main hall and adding more accessibility and more escalators. The station will also get a new name: "something to do with how iconic New York State is", Hochul said.

It would be a long-awaited upgrade for the beleaguered train hub that the governor called "depressing". The overhaul is projected to cost US$6 billion to US$7 billion and be done within four to five years, she said.

Her plan for the surrounding area lowers the building heights of the previous proposal, reducing the density by 1.4 million square feet, and building as many as 1,800 residential units. All buildings will be made greener and more sustainable, she said. BLOOMBERG