This and Port Authority are the two most depressing places I can think of in New York.

I really think you'd have to try very hard to make it be uglier than it is.

Each station has their own culture, like Grand Central is the uppity station.

You know where you can see the art.

This is more like the New York hood station.

Down here has been a mess forever.

The people who planned the new Penn Station when they tore down the old Penn Station did not plan it for human beings.

You ever had Krispy Kreme?

You never had Krispy Kreme?

Yo.

Krispy Kreme is different.

That's not just donuts.

You're talking about that place over there?

Yes.

That looks nasty.

Why they ain't put up the track yet?

I believe that we have the opportunity here to reimagine the entire future of Penn Station and the neighborhood.

We know that this area is the beating heart of our city.

Everybody knows Penn Station.

It is the busiest transit hub in North America, and the Western Hemisphere.

It is hellacious.

It's crowded.

It's disgusting.

It's depressing.

So our plan will transform the existing station into a single level train hall.

What does that do?

First of all, it gives us double circulation on the main boarding level.

So you won't be as cramped as you are right now.

We're talking sunlight, easier navigation, higher ceilings.

And we'll have revenue set aside from the early revenues generated by the new real estate development to fund these community projects.

People are not returning to the offices.

Yet for this proposal, they want to build ten towers with 20 million square feet of more office space that is unneeded.

It's a land grab designed as transit improvement.

It's not an improvement.

We get a basement station.

We need to save these buildings, guys.

It's shocking that it's not landmarked already.

But it isn't, and we're going to lose it.

The thing that saved Grand Central was the celebrity was essentially, Jackie O. So, just in case somebody knows a new Jackie O. We need him or her.

Stand on this?

No, no, I'll break a leg.

I'm going to put my bag there, though.

I'm thrilled to be here today to announce that I am running for Assembly District 75.

We need to protect our tenants, bring true affordable housing to the district, defend our streets from speculative real estate development.

This is where you know I'm not a pro.

And of course, the ongoing fight against the governor's land grab in Penn Area.

French bombshell.

Let me get a picture.

I'm telling you, you're a winner.

I feel terribly puny, to tell you the truth.

And at the same time, as puny as we may feel, we have just the responsibility to do the right thing.

Let's go.

We're going to meet with Steve and the blind musicians.

Yeah.

I've been living here since 19, in the building since 1975.

This is just a pantry.

You know, pantries always look bad, so don't look in there.

Okay.

Is that Lady and the Tramp?

Yeah.

People seem to like it.

We found out that they're trying to destroy our complete city block.

Several blocks surrounding.

Madison Square Garden is going to remain just as it is.

Penn Station is going to remain just as it is.

If they push the plan through.

All they're doing is destroying 2500 people's homes, thousands of jobs and thousands of businesses so they can build skyscrapers that Vornado owns.

And then it really has nothing at all to do with Penn Station repairs, is what they say they're doing it for.

This is Anthony.

He comes here all the time.

He's visually impaired.

He's blind.

He's from the center for the blind.

I have people on the way over from the center of the blind that we rehearse and record with and perform with constantly.

Do we have to embarrass you?

Do we have to sue you?

What do we have to do?

Do we have to picket?

Put me in office, Steve.

That's what we need to do.

We're going to put Layla in office.

You guys are going to hear a good one now.

Let's hit it.

Theme from Midnight cowboy.

One.

Two.

Three.

C. No, no, timing.

One.

Two.

Three.

C. B-flat.

C. B-flat.

C. B-flat.

C. B-flat.

G-sharp.

B-flat.

G-sharp.

B-flat.

So I'm really happy for you.

And I'm happy to support you.

Anytime you need me.

Call me.

I'm there.

I got to get you in front of Taboo right now, please.

It's right there to the left.

It's four doors down.

You have something.

Get get get this out.

Get this out.

Get this out.

You're going to fall.

Oh, that I like.

Vote for me.

I'm going to introduce you to the owner- We don't have time.

We don't have time.

He owns the building.

Where's Hassan?

Is he here?

That's Hassan.

This is Layla.

Hello, Hassan.

We tried to save the neighborhood.

Hi.

I'm the candidate.

How are you?

Nice to meet you, Hassan.

We're going to have to fight to keep your building.

Absolutely.

We have to.

Some greedy developers want it.

All right.

One more, one more.

No no no no no.

These are all the people that think this isn't happening Layla.

That guy.

Everybody.

They all think it's not happening.

How can they think it's not happening?

They're insane!

Penn Station is the key to reviving New York.

We're finally gathered in a wider, brighter LIRR concourse at Penn Station.

And that's what we're announcing here today.

This is glorious.

I just remind all of us in the famous architectural historian Vincent Scully what he said.

One enters the city before like a god.

Now one scuttles in like a rat.

Scully was right.

And today we're opening a space in Penn Station, finally, that's more fit for humans than rodents.

I guess what they're doing is just raising the ceiling.

Is it good in and of itself?

Yes, sure.

Of course.

Is that enough?

So I'm from Long Island and she's from Queens.

So this is like how we kind of have to get here.

Unless we want to- I'm no Rockefeller, so I can't be taking an Uber to the city all the time.

Yeah, and the subway's been kind of iffy since Covid started And the LIRR is still pretty clean.

Yeah, and there's, like, new cars and stuff, so it's really nice.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And trains beers.

I finished mine!

Don't think I'm a loser.

And we're 21.

I'm 22!

So- It's always good there's something to talk about at Thanksgiving.

Hey.

Just came through Penn!

Ah it looks great.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I like the old Penn.

Same thing with Shea and Citi Field.

Change is good.

We cannot have a city that functions economically and gets people to opportunity, to jobs, to education, to everything New York has to offer, unless there's great mass transit.

It has nothing to do with Penn Station.

They're lying!

And that means we're going to have to invest in this system.

And that means in some cases like this one, we're going to have to do a mega project.

It's public knowledge that Vornado has contributed generously to Governor Hochul's campaign.

Does that make sense to you?

No!

Say it!

The emperor is naked!

This guy Tony.

Tony's running.

He helped shut down the football stadium a few years back.

So hopefully he's going to help.

We're going to shut this down.

Tony Simone like Nina Simone.

In my side life, I wanted to be an actor and documentarian, but it didn't work out.

Were all on the same page in stopping Penn Station.

There's no difference.

I think it's the style.

I think you have to work from the inside and the outside to stop it.

Like you stop the west side.

This is great.

But you also have to call the governor's office, and demand them to stop.

I've lived in this neighborhood for 50 years, and I love this neighborhood.

I love the people, in this neighborhood.

I love the diversity of this neighborhood.

I love the changes that this neighborhood has gone through.

However, I don't love the new development.

I don't love the plan of having people evicted from their homes.

I don't love the plan of having institutions that have been here for years taken away, to be replaced by buildings that have no form or function.

This plan doesn't serve anybody but the people who have money.

You're talking about these buildings are a blight.

People come to New York for years and years and years to see this beautiful blight.

♪Now it's 4am and ♪I ain't going home.

♪I spotted this chick and ♪now I'm out of control.

In the club all in, ♪ladies pimp my show.

♪Straight VIP, ♪come out through that door.

♪Standing by the bar, ♪Cuban cigar.

♪True or crew.

♪Don't sweat it man just -- And he just grabbed me right now and asked me for some pictures.

And I got some time to kill before my train.

In another 45 minutes.

So why not, you know?

You get one real close up like this close up?

Did you get anything this close?

I got as close as the lens would allow me to get.

It's a 50 millimeter.

Okay.

No, no, no, Im grateful.

listen, it's better than nothing.

Why'd you decide to come to Penn Station for the video?

Umm, I used to be homeless years ago, and so this is, like, home to me Are you nervous for Tuesday?

No, no, no.

No.

You know, I've done everything I could.

I have worked my butt off for the past six months.

You know, the way I look at it is that, you know, if I don't win, then I will be a constituent of one of my opponents.

And maybe they're nice people.

I don't think they are.

But, you know, maybe I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

But they're very weak.

Very, very weak.

Something needs to change.

It's time for a new Penn Station!

One worthy of New York and New Yorkers.

More than just a train station.

It will be a revitalization of the whole neighborhood.

With the addition of new residential and commercial space.

New Yorkers deserve the best.

They deserve a new Penn Station, and they deserve it now.

Please join me in welcoming, the 57th governor of the great state of New York, Governor Kathy Hochul!

The glory days are coming back.

What happened to Penn Station, the demolition of Penn Station was the greatest civic crime in New York history.

This time, we're going to get it right because Penn Station is the beating heart of our city.

It's the pumps, the blood that goes through Midtown and beyond.

And it once evoked tremendous pride in New Yorkers.

It's a place people come by and point to and say how beautiful it was, and we lost that.

So when I took office, I said, I want to, first of all, address the public's concerns about this plan.

That's where you start.

I want to hear from the community.

I want to hear from the people who experience this area every day of their lives.

These are the voices we need to listen to and act upon their recommendation.

Layla Law-Gisiko.

Community Board Five.

How do you spell your last name?

We still have a crisis in housing.

We know that.

And this revised plan will allow up to 1,800 residential units, 540 of which will be permanently affordable, one building, entirely residential.

We will return this station to its former glory.

Let's get started.

No, I'm pissed!

I'm very disappointed that I was denied access to this event.

That's above my pay grade.

I know.

Please welcome to the podium Mayor Eric Adams.

In the midst of all the tragedy, we're continuing to build a better, a stronger New York and New Jersey and all the naysayers that vote against New York City.

You're going to lose your money.

You're gonna lose your money.

Don't they realize the optics and how damning it is?

What are they afraid of?

Hi there.

I'm Layla running for State Assembly.

Are you voting today?

Hi.

Good morning.

Layla.

Running for State Assembly.

Three out of the four people said they were already voting for you.

Oh, my God, this is good.

Yeah.

This is good.

My greatest pet peeve?

I don't know.

Well I'm the only one who's opposed to it.

Sure.

After the election?

We have to defeat the plan.

So what happens tomorrow?

Tomorrow?

I take a nap.

I thank everyone and then I take a nap.

It's been fun.

Yeah.

Democrat?

Yes.

We want a border.

Dont be an idiot.

Become a Republican.

When I was young, I was stupid and I was a Democrat.

When you grow up, you become a Republican.

I'm interested to find out more why.

We'd like to have a border for our country.

Like you have on the front door of your apartment.

You think the Democrats are the good, nice people.

Who is this and why are you doing that?

I'm interested to hear what you have to say about Democrats.

Why?

'Cause you're going to turn it all around and edit it into my sounding like an idiot?

I'm making a film.

Okay, I won't film you.

I'm sure I can tell.

You're a feminist.

You're left wing.

I know it.

You could tell?

I could tell it a block away.

I don't know.

In the end, it's not really about me.

It's more about, you know, what people care about and are concerned about, than anything else really.

Okay, well, you know, the people are concerned about everything.

The passion will come from you and what you feel concerned about as well, you know.

Well- But you look like you have great passion in your eyes!

You know, I yeah.

Hi, sir.

I'm Layla, running for state assembly.

Thank you.

Who am I supporting?

I'm running.

I'm the candidate.

Oh.

There is no electioneering here.

No electioneering!

You can't see the signs over there and over there?

Totally.

No, you turn off your camera.

All right.

Good luck.

So good to see you.

You too.

Take care.

Think Im going to vote for you.

A lot of people coming through and saying I voted for her.

So, yes.

Yes!

Let's go!

We have been going up against a lot of union carpenters who were passing out things for Tony Simone on all the corners.

So today we have about 20, 75 members from the New York City District Council of Carpenters doing palm cards for Tony.

Tony who?

If I could find some place to go, if I didn't love New York so much.

If New York wasn't such a 24 hour.

And I'm such a nosy kind of gal.

If I, if I didn't love New York so much, I would leave too.

But I've been to many places and there's no place I want to stay more than two weeks.

I want to go home.

Then when I get to New York, it's stinky, it's smelly, it's loud, people are rude, and I love it.

I see you, my opponent.

Oh.

I don't to talk to Layla supporters.

Oh, too bad, that's a shame.

When you get moved out your apartment, when you move out your apartment, you'll remember her.

I adore you, can I tell you that I adore you, I adore you, I adore you.

Well, let's see how much you adore me when you get in the office, and I'm calling your behind every day.

Tony has got 39% and you've got 25%.

So I'm trailing.

It doesn't look good.

It doesn't look good.

No.

I'm gonna cry!

Yeah, I think we're all going to cry.

It's okay.

For me it's pretty much done.

You know Tony is the winner.

That's disappointing, but yeah.

Yeah.

It's very disappointing.

Very, very disappointing.

Very.

Hey.

So you know that Tony, Tony won.

You know that Tony won.

By a lot or a little?

By how much?

10 points.

It ain't over til it's over.

No, it is over.

No, it's not.

Yes, it is.

Why do you say that?

Because the results are in.

All the results are not in.

All the results that matter, which is Penn South, are in.

But that's not the end of the story.

The train is finally rolling down the tracks.

And we are so excited about the news we have today that we're on a one way journey to a brand new, fully renovated station and beautiful surrounds that this community has waited for and has deserved for a very long time.

I was denied entry.

Were they expecting you?

Well, you know, they should certainly have invited us as representatives of the community, major stakeholders who have been, you know, involved in this, issue for the past three years.

So right now, can you tell us what's going to happen to the buildings around Penn Station?

And if that's being put on the back burner while you concentrate on building this project?

Yes.

This is the news out today.

We are decoupling two components that.

We are going to focus on this building itself and the immediate environs.

That does not mean that we're not going to be building office space here at some point.

It makes sense.

What do you think of the acoustics, guys?

I can hear you if you can hear me.

And I think eventually when everyone else in the community hears what we're talking about, there will be a change of heart.

So clearly, this is a sign that New York City's back.

Train stations are noisy and bustling and filled with people.

And that's what we love about New York.

Vornado still has the ability to develop on their own time frame.

So - Let's set up a meeting.

I'm like 30 minutes late.

But let's set up time.

We should sit down You know what's funny though?

This is actually our first date.