Empire State Development meetings

New Plan Transforms Penn Station into Modern, World-Class Train Facility Reimagined Development Plan Reduces Density, Prioritizes the Public Realm and Social Services, Invests in Affordable Housing, Increases Transit Access and Shared Streets, Activates Pedestrian-Friendly Streetscape Renderings Available Here  Governor Hochul today unveiled her vision for a new commuter-first world-class Penn Station and revitalized surrounding neighborhood that reflects the community's needs and focuses on public transit and public realm improvements. The plan prioritizes the reconstruction of the existing station while the station expansion and the Gateway Project initiatives, both of which the Governor strongly supports, continue on their federally-established timelines. Governor Hochul's new plan thus allows the expedited reconstruction of the existing Penn Station, 60% of whose users are subway and LIRR riders. The new neighborhood plan comes after several months of collaboration and more than 100 meetings with community stakeholders, government agencies, and elected officials to improve on past plans and establish a new way forward. The plan announced today will also be subject to further public review and today's announcement is part of a larger public process that remains ongoing. "I'm reimagining the New York City commuter experience. New Yorkers do not deserve what they have been subjected to for decades at Penn Station," Governor Hochul said. "The era of neglecting our Penn Station commuters and the neighboring community is over. New York leaders are expected to offer visionary ideas and take bold actions, and that's exactly what my proposed transformation of Penn Station accomplishes. This plan puts New Yorkers first, delivering the rider-focused transit experience and great neighborhood they deserve. Investing in Penn Station means investing in New York's future as we recover from COVID and build a more sustainable, livable city." Read the full press release here. 

Results of the Study Will Be Used to Inform Bills Stadium Negotiations Empire State Development (ESD) today announced the completion of the Buffalo Bills stadium analysis conducted by AECOM, a multinational engineering and consulting firm. The findings of the study will be used as a tool to help guide continued good faith negotiations for determining the best location for a future Bills’ stadium. "Empire State Development is pleased to present the completed AECOM Bills’ stadium analysis,” said Kevin Younis, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Deputy Commissioner at Empire State Development. “We are confident that the results of this analysis will be a valuable tool as the State, Erie County and the Buffalo Bills work together to make sure the team remains in the region in a facility that Bills fans and all New Yorkers can be proud of for years to come.”​ As the current lease with the Buffalo Bills to play home games at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park expires in July of 2023, AECOM was retained to provide advisory services related to the potential development of a new stadium for the team after ESD requested proposals from previously pre-qualified firms to provide real estate, economic analysis and related services. The AECOM study addresses a variety of topics, including consideration of the renovation of Highmark Stadium versus the development of a new stadium; consideration of a new stadium in a downtown Buffalo site versus near the existing stadium in Orchard Park; consideration of an open-air stadium versus an enclosed stadium; and consideration of economic and fiscal impacts related to potential ancillary development, the ongoing operations of the Bills, and the potential loss impact if the Bills were to relocate to another market. The consultants did not recommend either site.  That decision will be based on negotiations between the parties. Factors to be considered will be the additional cost, the additional time to build a downtown stadium and the impacts to the local community, both positive and negative. AECOM’s report does provide a solid baseline of facts to better inform New York State’s negotiations with the Bills, as well as a public discussion of the best course of action.  The Erie County Legislature is scheduling a series of public meetings to receive comments on a potential stadium project – which will be considered as the state moves forward to shaping a deal with the Bills. The AECOM Bills stadium study can be seen in its entirety here. About Empire State Development Empire State Development is New York’s chief economic development agency. The mission of ESD is to promote a vigorous and growing economy, encourage the creation of new job and economic opportunities, increase revenues to the State and its municipalities, and achieve stable and diversified local economies. Through the use of loans, grants, tax credits and other forms of financial assistance, ESD strives to enhance private business investment and growth to spur job creation and support prosperous communities across New York State. ESD is also the primary administrative agency overseeing Governor Hochul’s Regional Economic Development Councils and the marketing of “I Love NY,” the State’s iconic tourism brand. For more information on Regional Councils and Empire State Development, visit www.regionalcouncils.ny.gov and www.esd.ny.gov. Contact: Pamm Lent | [email protected] | (716) 846-8309 Laura Magee | [email protected] | (716) 846-8239

In accordance with recently passed Legislation, this meeting will be conducted by teleconference. The public may listen to the meeting via webcast by clicking the link below. Members of the public may submit comments on the Agenda items in writing to [email protected] by 5:30 pm on Thursday, October 28, 2021.

Empire State Development (ESD) is committed to providing transparency and encouraging public engagement across its portfolio and investments. In response to Governor Kathy Hochul’s September 20, 2021 Government Transparency Initiative directive, this memorandum summarizes ESD’s current transparency-related practices and actions it will take to increase public awareness and accountability. ESD Transparency Memo