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New York will renovate Penn Station during shelter-in-place

May 26, 2020
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3 min read
Commuter Trains As Hudson Tunnel Is Being Held Captive By Trump Without Plan B
New York will renovate Penn Station during shelter-in-place
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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced May 26 that the city would expedite construction on the new Empire Station at Pennsylvania Station while the city remains on coronavirus lockdown.

"The time to fix the hole in the roof is when the sun is shining," Cuomo said during a May 26 press conference. "Now is the time to build, while the ridership is low and we need the jobs."

According to a slide presented during the conference, the Empire Station Complex Project has created 14,500 total jobs to date.

Related: TPG's guide to Penn Station in New York City

Cuomo famously called Penn Station "a national laughingstock" back in 2016, saying that the outdated depot is "decrepit, and an affront to riders to use it."

The Empire Project is the latest in a long line of reconstruction plans that have been proposed over the past 30 years by multiple leaders, all of which have been stymied or stalled for various reasons.

Related: Cuomo's January 2020 summary of the Empire Station Complex

The current station was built in 1910 by the Pennsylvania Railroad, and has already been demolished and rebuilt once before, which relocated the station underground in 1969. Penn is the busiest train station in the Western Hemisphere, and currently serves as the main intercity railroad station in New York City.

Cuomo will visit the White House Wednesday, May 27, to discuss the building plans and project infrastructure which will link Penn Station, the new Moynihan Train Hall and a brand-new terminal which will be built one block south of the current Penn Station site.

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Earlier this month, we learned Penn Station was being closed overnight for deep cleanings during the coronavirus outbreak.

TPG has reached out to Amtrak regarding possible plans for the new Empire Station, and will report back with any news updates. The railroad company is struggling from the impact of the coronavirus outbreak, however, and has asked Congress for a $1.5 billion bailout, reporting a 95 percent drop in ridership since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the Washington Post.

Furthermore, Amtrak announced Tuesday in an internal memo that the company is preparing to cut 20% of its 18,000-plus workforce by October 2020, the beginning of its 2021 fiscal year, according to the Wall Street Journal.

During the same press conference, Cuomo also announced that the city would expedite the construction of a new LaGuardia Airport as well, a project that has created 8,000 jobs thus far.

Featured image by Bloomberg via Getty Images

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Best for dining at restaurants

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  • Annual Fee

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  • Recommended Credit

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.