U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) secretary Sean Duffy declared yesterday the federal government is taking over New York Penn Station’s renovation and “withdrawing” the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) from the project. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has placed Amtrak, under USDOT’s tutelage, in charge of the critical infrastructure project. MTA CEO Janno Lieber, said in a statement the MTA expects to “participate in the administration’s and Amtrak’s efforts to ensure future plans meet the needs of everyone who uses it.” The MTA’s plan from 2023, and is now seemingly moot. Duffy said the takeover is meant to curb excessive government spending and save taxpayer dollars. “New York City deserves a Penn Station that reflects America’s greatness and is safe and clean,” he said. “The MTA’s history of inefficiency, waste, and mismanagement also meant that a new approach is needed. By putting taxpayers first, we’re ensuring every dollar is spent wisely to create a transit hub all Americans can take pride in.” The National Civic Art Society (NCAS) was quick to react, and take advantage. After Duffy’s announcement, NCAS president Justin Shubow issued a statement on behalf of NCAS. “The National Civic Art Society is delighted that the administration is taking charge,” Shubow said. “Only President Trump can get a new Penn Station built after generations of politicians have failed. It is also heartening news since as president Trump has proven he understands the beauty and popularity of classical civic buildings. We hope he will make Penn Station classical again.” Alexandros Washburn, of the Grand Penn Community Alliance, has support from the National Civic Art Society for his vision for Penn Station. Shubow and the NCAS have, for years, been advocating for the demolition of Charles Luckman’s New York Penn Station and Madison Square Garden complex, and the replacement of this ensemble with a “new Penn Station evocative of the original Beaux-Arts design completed in 1910” by McKim, Mead & White, destroyed in the 1960s. The Grand Penn Community Alliance issued the following statement after it was announced the government would take over the project: “The Grand Penn Community Alliance has had very positive and productive meetings with officials in Washington following our public unveiling last month.  It is clear that our plan is the best plan worthy of the President’s bold vision for a reimagining of Penn Station while building a classical, world class transit hub and creating a vibrant neighborhood around it. This is the beginning of a new process and an opportunity for the kind of transformative development that our plan will allow with a soaring new train hall, public park and a new arena across the street.” The takeover arrives not long after Gateway Phase One started construction, which will deliver a new, rail tunnel connecting New Jersey and Midtown. It also arrives after Assemblyman Tony Simone proposed an alternative masterplan to Vornado’s ten commercial towers the real estate powerhouse ideated for the blocks around Penn Station, as reported by Bill Millard for AN. Instead of hulking commercial towers, Simone proposed a mixed-use complex that’s one-third housing, and two-thirds offices. Two other proposals circulating for Penn Station and its surroundings are by ASTM-Halmar, HOK, and PAU; and ReThinkNYC and Richard Cameron. Moving forward, ReThinkNYC’s Sam Turvey hopes FRA continues to support implementing through-running service at Penn Station. “The best way to cost effectively leverage the multibillion dollar investment in the Gateway Tunnels and Penn Station is to convert commuter rail at Penn Station to the internationally acclaimed through-running operating model which is also expressly favored in our FRA guidelines,” Turvey told AN. “This is likely the most important land use decision in this region in this century,” Turvey added.  “We are hopeful that the FRA and DOT will dispense with this nonsensical  and prohibitively expensive approach and see the way towards a through-running conversion at Penn Station as the best way to ‘transformatively revitalize Penn Station’ and confer quite material benefits to all 20 million plus regional residents. We choose to be cautiously optimistic that this path will be chosen.” Disclaimer: The author previously worked for ReThinkNYC.