Correction ICE Reports, Penn Station Developer, Penn Station Redesign

Politics & Policy

• NYC audit finds daily Correction Department reports to ICE dating to 2015; Mamdani moves to end practice, adopt reforms · NYC’s Department of Correction sent daily reports on noncitizens’ national origin to ICE since at least 2015, discovered by Mayor Mamdani’s sanctuary-policy audit. The mayor’s administration plans to end the practice and implement broader reforms. (AM New York)
• NY-10 Congress primary: Brooklyn Marine Terminal fight sharpens Goldman-Lander battle · U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman criticized challenger Brad Lander over the Brooklyn Marine Terminal redevelopment plan as they vie in the June Democratic primary. The terminal fight has become a key campaign issue. (PoliticsNY)
• Council Speaker Tries New ‘Buffer Bill’ After Mamdani Rebuff · Council Speaker Julie Menin will reintroduce a limited version of the anti-protest buffer zone bill after Mayor Mamdani vetoed the earlier version. The new bill directs NYPD to plan protest buffer zones around public and private schools. (THE CITY)
• Mamdani mandates new policies to bolster NYC sanctuary laws for immigrants · Mayor Mamdani‘s administration mandated over 20 policy changes to strengthen NYC’s sanctuary protections, including requiring city agencies to provide services irrespective of immigration status. (Gothamist)
• CM Wong introduces new bills focused on public safety, nightlife oversight and fire prevention · Council Member Phil Wong introduced two legislative bills aimed at enhancing public safety through improved nightlife enforcement and fire prevention measures. (PoliticsNY)

Housing & Transit

• Penn Station rebuild finally has a master developer · Amtrak and the federal government selected Penn Transformation Partners as master developer for the Penn Station overhaul, planning expanded track capacity and open concourses while keeping Madison Square Garden in place. (The Real Deal)
• A new dedicated bus lane in Queens will get folks to LaGuardia Airport much faster than before (hopefully) · Mayor Mamdani announced a new Broadway bus lane in Queens to expedite bus service to LaGuardia Airport ahead of the World Cup. (Time Out)
• Mamdani ‘NYCHA In Your Neighborhood’ hearings kick off in the Bronx · The city launched a series of NYCHA resident forums starting May 20 in the Bronx, where hundreds shared housing concerns directly with senior officials. (PoliticsNY)
• Fare evasion: Top MTA official says agency is testing ‘European’ enforcement on moving buses · The MTA is piloting a “European” model that issues bus fare summonses while buses are in motion in an effort to curb fare evasion. (PoliticsNY)

Culture & Lifestyle

• NYC residents can enter lottery for $50 World Cup tickets · Mayor Mamdani secured 1,000 $50 tickets to five group-stage and two knockout World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium, available via lottery to NYC residents. (6sqft)
• Mamdani Squared Up with FIFA to Get $50 World Cup Tickets for 1,000 New Yorkers · Mayor Mamdani successfully negotiated with FIFA to provide affordable $50 tickets and free round-trip bus rides for 1,000 working-class New Yorkers to attend World Cup games. (Brooklyn Magazine)
• Diamond Jubilee: A Guide to Guyana’s Independence Day Celebrations in NYC · NYC’s Guyanese community will mark the 60th anniversary of Guyana’s independence with events including a parade, concert, gala, and flag-raising ceremony. (Documented NY)
• I’m a Chicana Curator. This Is Why I Removed Cesar Chavez From My Show · A Chicana curator explains the decision to remove a Cesar Chavez portrait from the “Chicano Camera Culture” exhibit at The Cheech. (Hyperallergic)
• Required Reading · This week’s art briefs include a mysterious LA guerrilla artist, Whistler’s gold paint, and AI agents turning Marxist. (Hyperallergic)

Business & Economy

• City comptroller talks potential implications of AI on NYC job market · Comptroller Mark Levine released a report on AI’s impact on NYC jobs, urging lawmakers to create a rainy day fund to mitigate workforce disruptions. (NY1)
• A second NYC-owned grocery store is opening in Hunts Point next year · NYC will open its second city-owned grocery store in Hunts Point next year as part of efforts to make groceries more affordable. (Time Out)
• New York private sector jobs down 10,200 in April, report says · The state Department of Labor reported a loss of 10,200 private sector jobs in NYC in April, a 0.1% decline. (NY1)

Civic Services

• Legionnaires’ Disease Found at East Village Housing Complex · DOHMH alerted residents of an East Village apartment complex owned by the Archdiocese after two cases of Legionnaires’ disease were confirmed in the past 11 months. (THE CITY)
• How New Yorkers Can Get $50 World Cup Tickets · NYC residents can enter a program offering 1,000 $50 World Cup tickets including free round-trip bus rides to MetLife Stadium, announced by Mayor Mamdani. (Documented NY)
• Manhattan DA expands deadly Inwood fire investigation to landlord’s company · Manhattan DA is investigating the owner’s company of an Inwood building with over 100 housing code violations following a fatal fire that claimed four lives this month. (Gothamist)
• NYC gets more funds for homeless, foster and English-learning students · Changes to the state school funding formula will increase aid for NYC students who are homeless, in foster care, or learning English, advocates say. (Gothamist)
• Thousands more cops will try to stop summer violence in NYC · NYPD will deploy 2,600 officers on foot patrol during late evening and early morning hours this summer to prevent a predicted surge in violence. (NY1)

Civic Engagement

• Eric Adams’ Charter Revision Commission to hold hearings · The Charter Revision Commission established by former Mayor Eric Adams will hold public hearings across NYC in the coming weeks to discuss possible changes to the city charter. (Sahalie Donaldson)

Events

• MorDance’s World Premier of Unwritten · MorDance will debut ‘Unwritten’ on May 29, a ballet exploring the U.S. Constitution as a living document through physical movement addressing inclusion, exclusion, and civic struggle. (Dance.NYC)

DEEP DIVE

Penn Station redesign moves forward with selection of master developer

The U.S. Department of Transportation and Amtrak selected Penn Transformation Partners, a joint venture of Halmar International and Skanska, as the master developer for the Penn Station overhaul, marking a major milestone in a project years in the making. The redevelopment aims to deliver a world-class transportation hub featuring a grand entrance on Eighth Avenue, expanded track capacity including potential through-running for regional rail, and open, spacious concourses replacing the current cramped walkways—all while retaining Madison Square Garden. The developer plans to reveal detailed designs soon, inspired by the original 1910 Beaux-Arts station by McKim, Mead & White to weave historic grandeur into a modern facility.

This development follows a longstanding call for relief from Penn Station’s notoriously congested and deteriorated infrastructure, a relic overshadowed by the demolition of its iconic predecessor in the 1960s. The project, supported by an $8 billion federal investment announced days earlier, signifies one of the largest transit infrastructure commitments in NYC’s recent history. The selection of a long-awaited master developer ends a prolonged federal and local bid process and sets the stage for a transformative station that better serves the 650,000 daily riders currently navigating its cramped corridors.

For NYC commuters and travelers, the stakes could not be higher—this redevelopment promises to ease overcrowding, improve passenger flow, and modernize connectivity across rail networks vital to the city’s economy. The design and construction will unfold in the coming years with close scrutiny on balancing preservation, functionality, and the needs of millions who depend on Penn Station every day. With federal funding committed and a development team in place, the eagerly awaited rebuild moves from vision to reality, signaling a pivotal moment in NYC’s transportation future.

(6sqft)