A group of lawmakers, transit advocates and local community members say the only people who know what’s going on with the multibillion-dollar plan to renovate Penn Station are members of the Trump administration and Amtrak officials. 

The group gathered at the transit hub this past weekend to air grievances about the plans allegedly being kept hush-hush.

What You Need To Know

A group of lawmakers, transit advocates and local community members say the only people who know what’s going on with the multibillion-dollar plan to renovate Penn Station are members of the Trump administration and Amtrak officials

They are calling for clearer answers on costs and a more transparent developer selection process. They also want to make sure the MTA has some rights to join in on the planning

Local elected officials allege the three developer teams on the short list to win the bid for the renovation project all have strong connections to the Trump administration and its donors

“It cannot be decided in a backroom deal,” Rep. Jerry Nadler said. “It must be decided with the community, for the community. We demand transparency. We demand local oversight. No decision for New Yorkers without New Yorkers.”

Standing beside a fake Daily News front page mockup, Manhattan elected officials said they want clearer answers on costs and a more transparent developer selection process. They also want to make sure the MTA has some rights to join in on the planning.

So far, they say, there have been no public proposals — and no public hearings or public input.

“It’s time to let New York, by far the largest user of Penn Station, the busiest train hub in the western hemisphere, and our local community surrounding it, to have a proper say in this development,” Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal said.

According to Nadler, there is no honest accounting of the cost of the Penn Station renovation project, though estimates hover around the $7 billion mark. 

There is also concern over who will pay the bill, and which contractor will be selected to do the work.

Local elected officials allege the three developer teams on the short list to win the bid for the renovation project all have strong connections to the Trump administration and its donors.

As for the MTA’s role in deciding how Penn Station should look and operate in the future, the group wants to make sure the agency that moves hundreds of thousands of commuters through the hub daily has a seat at the table. 

“We don’t need Penn Station decided by Trump donors,” state Assemblymember Tony Simone said. “We must take this process out of his corrupt hands.”

Last year, it was announced that former New York City Transit president Andy Byford would be a special adviser to Amtrak’s board of directors and oversee the project.

Local lawmakers say Byford has confirmed that the White House will have final say over the winning design and developer.

In response, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Transportation said: “While the Congressman frantically tries to pad his unimpressive legacy, the Trump Administration remains laser-focused on delivering a big, beautiful train station for New Yorkers at the Speed of Trump.”

The congressman referred to is Nadler, who is not seeking reelection after three decades in office.