Next Stop, Trump Station? Administration Wants To Rename New York’s Penn Station

NEW YORK — Will President Trump ’s sanction grace 1 of nan astir celebrated — and sometimes maligned — landmarks successful his hometown of New York City?

The Republican management this week urged U.S. senators to rename Penn Station arsenic it undertakes a projected $8-billion redesign of nan dreary, underground Manhattan transit hub that besides happens to beryllium nan busiest successful nan Western Hemisphere.

But Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, successful a Wednesday missive seeking legislature backing support for nan rehab and different awesome proscription priorities, stopped short of saying what nan station’s moniker should beryllium changed to.

Spokespeople for nan proscription agency provided nan missive but didn’t respond to travel up questions.

Duffy has made it nary concealed he would invited seeing his existent boss’s sanction etched crossed nan obstruction station’s facade.

“I ideate you’re asking, ‘Is this going to beryllium Trump Station?’ ” nan erstwhile Wisconsin congressman said past summertime arsenic officials sought bids for nan project’s maestro developer. “I deliberation that has a bully ringing to it.”

Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, erstwhile asked earlier this year, simply responded: “Why not?”

In his 2nd White House stint, Trump has sought to burnish his bequest done nationalist useful projects, from a monolithic caller White House ballroom to a triumphal arch and a grounded effort to rename nan Kennedy Center. Earlier this month, Florida’s Palm Beach airdrome changed its sanction to nan President Donald J. Trump International Airport.

For his part, Trump has acknowledged a imaginable sanction alteration was floated successful talks pinch nan Senate’s apical Democrat, Chuck Schumer of New York.

But he pushed backmost astatine nan conception that he suggested it successful speech for unfreezing national backing for nan Gateway project, a awesome obstruction passageway moving nether nan Hudson River from Penn Station into New Jersey.

“Chuck Schumer suggested that to me, astir changing nan sanction of Penn Station to Trump Station,” Trump said earlier this twelvemonth aboard Air Force One.

At nan aforesaid time, he based on that it doesn’t make overmuch consciousness for specified a awesome New York landmark to beryllium named aft different state.

“I LOVE Pennsylvania, but it is simply a nonstop competitor to New York, and ‘eating New York’s lunch!’,” he said connected his societal media level Truth Social arsenic he stressed nan renaming thought was “brought up by definite politicians and building national heads, not me.”

New York’s Pennsylvania Station, for illustration a fistful of others successful nan country, is named aft nan Pennsylvania Railroad, nan now-defunct rider obstruction institution that built nan once-grand midtown station.

Opened successful 1910, nan original position was considered a marvel of nan Beaux Arts style, pinch imposing, Roman-style columns and an expansive waiting area.

It was razed successful 1963 to make measurement for Madison Square Garden, forcing commuters to navigate cramped corridors and dingy train platforms underneath nan celebrated arena.

Recently released renderings telephone for a return to nan hub’s original classical style, pinch a chromatic facade, rows of columns and a expansive concourse pinch soaring ceilings. One wrong wall besides bears Trump’s seal and name.

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) said Duffy’s missive underscores really nan Trump management is “waging a dispute takeover of Penn Station” and seeking to “strip control” from section authorities.

“I powerfully reason this ridiculous connection and americium erstwhile again demanding answers connected nan funding,” he wrote connected X. “New York taxpayers and transit riders must not beryllium forced to ft nan measure for a Trump vanity project.”

The Riders Alliance, a section transit defense group, said nan renaming thought was “another immense reddish flag” that nan Penn Station task could go “another multibillion-dollar vanity boondoggle.”

“We should beryllium talking astir improving service, redeeming clip and money, not monuments, ribbon cuttings aliases nameplates,” defense group spokesperson Danny Pearlstein said successful a statement.

The Trump management ordered Amtrak, nan nationalist rider obstruction service, to presume power of nan monolithic redesign past year.

For years, nan Penn Station task had been mired successful governmental infighting among nan section transit agencies that usage nan station. James Dolan, nan billionaire proprietor of nan NBA’s New York Knicks and NHL’s New York Rangers, has besides powerfully opposed immoderate plans to relocate MSG.

The existent plans would support nan celebrated arena but demolish a theatre located connected nan site.

Spokespeople for Amtrak referred questions to nan national proscription department. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New Jersey Transit, which tally trains from nan station, didn’t instantly comment.

Marcelo writes for nan Associated Press.