Since the announcement of intentions to rebuild Penn Station, there has been little opportunity for public dialogue on the pending future of the station and a new vision for a great civic space. Two evenings of public programs on October 25 and November 2, collectively entitled Penn Station 1963 - 2023: A Public Conversation, will address those themes.

For the program on November 2, New York City’s leading urban visionaries, architects, and planners will assess Penn Station in the context of the changing West Side, offer lessons learned from rebuilding World Trade Center infrastructure, and share perspectives on how to make the existing station easier to use today.

A panel discussion will follow, focusing on the question: What are the standards of success by which a rebuilt Penn Station should be measured? The conversation will seek to move beyond criticizing the current station and focus on identifying elements of a long-term vision that can successfully integrate critical infrastructure and a vital urban commons.

Introductory remarks at 7:00 p.m.

• Michelle Young, Founder of Untapped Cities, Adjunct Professor of Architecture at Columbia University GSAPP
• Whitney W. Donhauser, Ronay Menschel Director and President, Museum of the City of New York

Presentation + Q&A sessions from 7:08 to 8:02 p.m.

• Tom Wright, President, Regional Plan Association: Shaping the future of the Far West Side
• Robert Eisenstat, AIA, Chief Architect, Port Authority of NY and NJ: Perspectives on an evolving Penn Station, World Trade Center lessons learned
• John Schettino, Designer, The New York Penn Station Atlas, Design Trust Fellow: Making Penn Station easier to use, today and in the future

Panel discussion from 8:05 to 9:30 p.m.
The above presenters will be joined by:

• Susan Chin, FAIA, Hon. ASLA, Executive Director, Design Trust for Public Space
• Gina Pollara, President, Municipal Art Society of New York

This program is presented by The New York Transit Museum, Untapped Cities and The Museum of The City of New York.