St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church on Seventh Avenue and West 30th Street would be spared now that Gov. Hochul no longer wants to demolish the city block where it sits to accommodate an expanded Penn Station. ( Photo: Keith J. Kelly) Hochul’s Retreat on Penn Station Expansion Will Spare Entire Block from Demolition Gov. Kathy Hochul pulled the rug out from under Amtrak’s hope to double the capacity of Penn Station by tearing down the... News 22 Mar 2025 | 05:38
Grand Penn Alliance’s chief architect, Alexandros Washburn, who led the creation of the Moynihan Train Hall, outlines the plan for a new Penn Station that would move Madison Square Garden across Seventh Avenue and in its place create a green park leading to the nation’s busiest rail hub. ( Image: Michael Oreskes) New $7.5B Penn Plan–This One Pushed by Trump Allies The time has come to make Penn Station great again. That not particularly subtle message to Donald J. Trump—who routinely... News 15 Mar 2025 | 09:35
Assembly member Tony Simone (right) has an alternative Penn Station plan that will spare the block south of Penn Station from demolition. To the rear is the empty lot that once housed the Pennsylvania Hotel. Simone wants that to be a park, whereas the parcel’s owner, real estate developer Vornado, says it still has plans for future office towers on that spot. ( Photo: Michael Oreskes) New Penn Plan: 2 West Side Pols Unveil Proposal to Save Block South of Station from Teardown New York State’s plan to redevelop the neighborhood around Penn Station should be drastically revamped to provide more housing,... News 09 Mar 2025 | 01:36
Chelsea City Councilmember Tony Simone rallying for the implementation of a bill that would mandate psychiatric care for some defendants departing jail, which is based on a report he issued in January. ( Photo: Tony Simone) West Side Pols Push Varied Measures They Say Will Address Homelessness Two politicians representing Manhattan’s parts of the West Side are pushing measures that they believe will help homeless... News 02 Mar 2025 | 08:04
A rendering of the atrium that would be the centerpiece of a $10 billion Port Authority Bus Terminal overhaul. The NY City Council unanimously approved the project on Nov. 21. ( Photo: Port Authority of New York & New Jersey) Port Authority Bus Terminal Overhaul Gets Council OK, Still Needs $1B Federal Loan The New York City Council unanimously gave the go-ahead for a $10 billion overhaul of the Port Authority Bus Terminal on... News 26 Nov 2024 | 05:58
Madison Square Garden Entertaintment, the company that owns the Knicks and Rangers wants to stay in the “world’s most famous arena” forever. Politicos and activists want the company gone to make way for a new Penn Stastions. Photo: ajay_suresh Flickr Commons Jim Dolan Wants Madison Square Garden to Get a Lifetime Deal to Stay Put Madison Square Garden dug in against demands that the company move the arena to make way for a better Penn Station, saying... Home 10 Feb 2023 | 11:42
James Dolan, the CEO of Madison Square Garden Entertainment, had stirred controversy when he appeared on Fox 5’s Good Day New York show and told Rosanna Scotto that he was thinking about turning off the beer taps at a future Rangers game. Public outcry was growing over his decision to use facial recognition technology to ban attorneys who worked for law firms in litigation against MSG owned ventures. The State Liquor Authority was threatening to pull his liquor license over the policy. Photo: Fox 5 Good Day New York Allows Attorney Suing His Tao Hospitality Group into MSG Facing public outcry over an attorney exclusion policy, Jim Dolan, the controversial owner of Madison Square Garden Entertainment... News 07 Feb 2023 | 08:12
Attorney Larry Hutcher, a Knicks season ticket holder since 1975, told ABC’s Nightline why he filed a lawsuit against MSG Entertainment for barring him from Knicks games. MSG blocked him after his firm became involved in representing ticket scalpers who are suing MSG Entertainment. Photo: ABC News/NIghtline. ABC Nightline on Case as Hoylman, Simone Intro Bills to Stop MSG from Banning Attorneys An attorney who blocked from entering Madison Square Garden Entertainment-owned venues is applauding new bills being introduced... News 26 Jan 2023 | 12:49
Assemblyman Tony Simone (back row between State Senators Liz Krueger, City Councilman Erik Bottcher, and NYS Senator Brad Hoylman (with mic) had gathered to blast MSG boss Jim Dolan’s use of facial recognition technology to bar attorneys whose firms are in litigation with MSG. To right of Simone in photo is Assemblyman Alex Bores and City Councilwoman Kristen Gonzalez. Photo: Keith J. Kelly Simone: I was disinvited from NHL Event with Rangers after blasting MSG’s Dolan A New York State Assemblyman, whose district includes Madison Square Garden and Chelsea, says he was disinvited from an NHL... News 19 Jan 2023 | 01:15
Governor Kathy Hochul with Rep. Carolyn Maloney (right) on the Upper East Side on Election Day. Photo: Abigail Gruskin Manhattan’s Blue Tsunami Early in the morning on Election Day, Governor Kathy Hochul addressed what was shaping up to be a competitive race between... News 10 Nov 2022 | 04:17
Rep. Jerrold Nadler, after his primary win in August. Photo via Nadler’s Twitter Midterm Election Races To Watch After a long summer with not one, but two primary elections, the November 8 midterm election is now around the corner. There... News 21 Oct 2022 | 02:59
NYS Assembly District 73 candidate Russell Squire (left), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (second from left), Governor Kathy Hochul (center), Rep. Carolyn Maloney (second from right) and District 76 Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright (right) on the campaign trail on the morning of the primary at East 86th Street and Second Avenue. Photo courtesy of Rebecca Seawright’s campaign Where Were the Voters? New York’s first of two summer primary elections drew to a close on Tuesday night, after a long — but extremely low-turnout... News 30 Jun 2022 | 05:46
Congressional candidate Suraj Patel has devoted his campaign efforts to the Upper East Side as of late. Photo courtesy of Suraj Patel’s campaign Districts — and Campaigns — In Limbo The world is in a troubling state of tumult, according to third-time congressional candidate Suraj Patel — think crime rates... News 13 May 2022 | 03:32
Tony Simone is running for NYS Assembly in District 75, which spans from Union Square through Chelsea to the southern region of Central Park. Photo courtesy of Tony Simone’s campaign Tony Simone Endorsed By Erik Bottcher, Brad Hoylman For NYS Assembly Council Member Erik Bottcher and State Senator Brad Hoylman are the latest to join what has become a robust group of local... News 09 May 2022 | 11:04
Tony Simone Endorsed by Gottfried in District 75 NYS Assembly candidate Tony Simone, running in Manhattan’s District 75, welcomed an endorsement from retiring incumbent Assembly... Home 23 Feb 2022 | 03:25
Karen’s Quirky Style Honors Photographer Helen Levitt