New York Gov. David Paterson said yesterday that two different project plans are on the table for a new Moynihan Station and that transportation issues - like rerouting service to a new station - still need to be worked out between Amtrak and other transit agencies that would use the station.
"What is essential to Moynihan Station is that it be a viable transportation hub," Paterson said at a breakfast sponsored by Crain's New York Business. "If it doesn't include the transportation, its value diminishes considerably."
Paterson said that a meeting between Amtrak officials, himself, and New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine was likely in the near future. He said that the Access to the Region's Core, or ARC, plan coincided with Amtrak's plans. The proposed $7.5 billion ARC project would add two additional single-track railroad tunnels between New Jersey and New York and create additional Pennsylvania Station capacity.
The proposed Moynihan Station was originally envisioned as the conversion of the James Farley Post Office, which is across the street from Penn Station, into a train station.
Last year, the Empire State Development Corp. released a proposal that would have refurbished Penn Station and turned the Farley Post Office into a New Jersey Transit station. That plan also would have built a new Madison Square Garden arena within the post office building and fostered development in the area. That plan fell apart when Cablevision, the owner of the arena, backed out.
Paterson sounded a cautious note about economic development projects in general, including the station, because of weakness in the economy that is creating large out-year budget gaps.
"I don't see any way that they can all go forward," the governor said. "The resources aren't there, the capital isn't there. Everybody wants to come to government to be part of the solution and right now the government is floundering because we have these huge deficits we have to ameliorate."
