The following was published as a Letter to the Editor in Crain’s New York on September 28, 2016. You can read the original here.
To the Editor:
Regarding your piece on the latest evolution of the ongoing Penn Station/Farley Post Office project:
I appreciated the nuance that reporter Aaron Elstein conveyed regarding the long-delayed Penn project, correctly highlighting the difficulties the project has faced since Sen. Patrick Moynihan first pitched the concept to policymakers in the 1990s.
The strength of Long Island’s connection to New York City is integral to our region’s future. Paired with such critical projects as East Side Access, the LIRR double-track spanning Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma in Suffolk County, and the proposed third track between Floral Park and Hicksville in Nassau, the rehabilitation of Penn and creation of the Farley Train Hall will see its benefits amplified tenfold as the railroad attracts more riders and increases frequency of service.
To paraphrase architectural historian Vincent Scully at the time of the original Penn Station’s demolition, here’s hoping that in 2020 the new project will allow both Amtrak’s riders and Long Island’s commuters to once again “enter the city like a god.”
Rich Murdocco
Syosset, N.Y.
