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Empire State Development Board approves Penn Station expansion project plan

Empire State Development Board approves Penn Station project
Empire State Development Board approves Penn Station project 00:47

NEW YORK -- The Penn Station expansion project is moving forward.

The Empire State Development Board approved the plan that would transform Penn Station and redevelop the area around it.

Earlier this week, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams announced a funding agreement for the $8 billion project. It calls for 10 towers to be built, creating new commercial and residential buildings around the station.

RELATED STORY: Gov. Kathy Hochul on new plans to renovate Penn Station: "Our citizens deserve better"

The plan will provide an estimated $1.2 billion in tax breaks to developers. 

"This project has not only great benefits for the city of New York, but certainly the entire metropolitan region, so it's very exciting," said Kevin Law, chairman of Empire State Development.

The plan does have its critics, however.

Reinvent Albany, a government watchdog group, objects to the deal over what it calls a lack of transparency. The group calls on the Public Authorities Control Board not to approve the deal when it meets next Wednesday.

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