Eyes on the Street: More Room to Walk Near Penn Station

By Brad Aaron
Jul 22, 2015

Colorful new sidewalk extension along 32nd Street near Penn Station. pic.twitter.com/PLxiiMa0L8

— Tri-State (@Tri_State) July 21, 2015

Temporary sidewalk extensions are in on 32nd Street near Penn Station.

As Streetsblog reported in June, this is one element of a larger effort, spearheaded by Vornado Realty Trust in partnership with the city, to make more room for people walking in the area. The three-month pilot project also includes a pedestrian plaza on 33rd Street between Seventh Avenue and the Madison Square Garden loading docks.

If they prove popular, Vornado, which owns a lot of properties nearby, may look to make the changes permanent.

Temporary pedestrianization of 32nd near Penn Station! Looks great! @transalt @StreetsblogNYC @miller_stephen pic.twitter.com/qPRfOrRRwS

— Thomas DeVito (@PedestrianTom) July 20, 2015

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Will 2017 see the return of this expanded sidewalk on 32nd Street? Photo: Stephen Miller

Coming Soon, Maybe: The Return of Pedestrian-Friendly 32nd Street

By David Meyer | Feb 14, 2017

In 2015, a temporary sidewalk expansion relieved crowding on a block of 32nd Street with heavy foot traffic between Penn Station and Herald Square, but the project was scrapped after a trial run. Now advocates are pushing to bring it back, and they recently won the support of Manhattan Community Board 5.

This expanded sidewalk on 32nd Street only lasted a few months. It could return -- if the MTA is willing to simplify two bus routes. Photo: Stephen Miller

Will the MTA Make Room for a Pedestrian-Friendly 32nd Street?

By David Meyer | Mar 30, 2018

For one glorious summer in 2015, the block of 32nd Street between Penn Station and Herald Square had a wide, generous sidewalk. It was a huge relief for the throngs of people walking to the nation's busiest rail hub. But it didn't last.

Eyes on the Street: 33rd Street Plaza Comes to Life

By Stephen Miller | Aug 11, 2015

There is now a plaza at Penn Plaza. The finishing touches were added to a temporary pedestrian space occupying the full breadth of 33rd Street just west of Seventh Avenue earlier this week. The plaza stretches a little less than halfway to Eighth Avenue, replacing what used to be westbound traffic lanes with planters, sculptures, a terraced seating area, and a painted […]

32nd Street Finally Has Enough Space for Walking. Will It Last?

By Stephen Miller | Sep 1, 2015

New pedestrian zones near Penn Station have given people more breathing room on some of the most crowded streets in the city. Will they stay or will they go after a trial period wraps up in October? At a Community Board 5 committee meeting last night, nearby property owners weighed in on the projects. It […]

“Plaza 33” Will Return This Year, But a Ped-Friendly 32nd Street Won’t

By David Meyer | Feb 23, 2016

“Plaza 33,” the temporary public space that opened up the eastern end of 33rd Street between Seventh Avenue and Eighth Avenue for a few months last year, will be back in August and this time there are no plans to remove it once the weather turns colder. The other pedestrian improvement by Penn Station that real estate giant Vornado […]

Eyes on the Street: 33rd Street Plaza Gone… Til Next Year?

By Brad Aaron | Oct 16, 2015

Well, it was fun while it lasted. So long (for now?), #Plaza33. @Tri_State @StreetsblogNYC @Plaza33nyc pic.twitter.com/Fm8KsTYeno — Joseph Cutrufo (@joseapie) October 14, 2015 As planned, the pedestrian spaces installed near Penn Station are being removed this week. A painted sidewalk extension and seating were added to 32nd Street for the summer, while 33rd Street between […]