Renderings reveal Trumpified remodel coming to iconic NYC landmark

The federal government previously took over plans to renovate New York City's famed Penn Station, and according to new renderings obtained by the Gothamist, one thing is clear: the proposal certainly looks Trump-approved.

Penn Station is a well-known train and bus station in New York City connecting various major rail services as well as the city's subway system, and is also noted as the busiest transportation hub in the Western Hemisphere. Plans have been underway for years to renovate the station, and last year, the federal government took over the process from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, sparking concerns that the iconic location would become the next victim of President Donald Trump's obsession with remaking buildings in his own preferred style.

Last week, Amtrak and the Department of Transportation announced that Penn Transformation Partners had won the contract to serve as "master developer" for the remodel, following a bidding war that local elected officials criticized for its lack of transparency. In a report from Tuesday, the Gothamist revealed the new renderings submitted by the developer, showing a Penn Station remade in Trump's favored style, with higher ceilings, a white-and-gold interior and, most crucially for the president, his name emblazoned on a seal.

"The winning plan to rebuild Penn Station features renderings of a new train hall with American flags at the entrance, gold-accented railings, columns and escalators — and a presidential seal featuring President Donald Trump’s name, according to internal materials obtained by Gothamist," the outlet detailed.

The report continued: "The new plan for Penn features raised ceilings, adding as much as 50 feet of overhead space to parts of the cramped station, according to documents that include architectural renderings, schematics and engineering notes. The plan also includes two brand new entrances: one on Eighth Avenue where the Theater at Madison Square Garden currently sits, and another along 31st Street. Windows would be installed at the taxiway that sits between the Garden and a neighboring skyscraper that shares the block."

Officials involved with the project say that the focus is now shifting towards "securing permits, finalizing contracts and other permits ahead of putting shovels in the ground."

This new design follows suggestions from White House officials last year that the location be renamed "Trump Station," part of a growing trend in which the president's name has been affixed to notable institutions. Trump himself later claimed that he was not involved with that idea, and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul asserted that such a thing would never happen under her watch.

"Still, the design has motifs found in other Trump projects, like the golden accents in the Oval Office and the classical architecture planned for the new White House ballroom," the Gothamist added. "A 2023 rendering of the proposed Eighth Avenue entrance for Penn Station has been updated with gold-colored columns, brass handrails, and a gold clock hanging from the center of the ceiling."

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