38-Story Vornado Tower to Reroute Penn Station Subway Entrance

• Vornado Realty Trust is planning a 481-unit residential tower at 484 Eighth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.
• The proposed project would include 121 affordable apartments, or roughly one-quarter of the total.
• Vornado also plans to move a Penn Station subway entrance into the new building, adding to its broader redevelopment of the Penn District.

What Vornado Is Planning

Vornado is moving forward with plans for a new residential tower at 484 Eighth Avenue, directly across from Penn Station in Manhattan's Penn District. The project would rise approximately 38 stories and span about 311,864 square feet, according to city filings.

The site currently includes a roughly 16,000-square-foot retail property at the corner of Eighth Avenue and West 34th Street. Vornado's existing property portfolio confirms the location as part of its Penn District holdings.

What The Residential Tower Will Deliver

The project is planned with 481 rental apartments, including 121 affordable units. The development would add a substantial amount of new housing directly next to one of the city's busiest transportation hubs.

Vornado previously disclosed plans for a roughly 475-unit rental tower at the site and said it intended to use New York's 485-x affordable housing tax incentive. The latest plans have increased the proposed unit count to 481.

The project is being filed as an as-of-right development, allowing Vornado to move ahead without a separate rezoning process.

What The Subway Connection Adds

One of the most notable aspects of the project is its integration with the surrounding transit network. Vornado plans to incorporate a Penn Station subway entrance into the new residential tower, adding another connection between the building and the massive transportation complex below and around it.

The transit improvements are part of Vornado's broader investment in the Penn District. The company has previously committed to a major package of subway and pedestrian upgrades, including new entrances, wider sidewalks, improved lighting and station improvements.

Vornado says its broader transit package was developed in coordination with the MTA, Amtrak and PATH and represents more than $100 million in improvements before soft costs and easements.

What This Means For The Penn District

The residential tower would add another major component to Vornado's transformation of the Penn District from a primarily commercial area into a more active 24/7 neighborhood.

Vornado has already redeveloped PENN 1 and PENN 2, added new retail and public spaces, and invested heavily in pedestrian and transit improvements around Penn Station. The company describes the district as a campus surrounding North America's busiest mass transit hub.

Adding nearly 500 apartments could bring thousands of new residents and consumers into the area, supporting nearby retail, restaurants and other neighborhood businesses.

What Comes Next

Vornado's latest filing puts the 481-unit tower firmly into the city's active multifamily development pipeline. SLCE Architects is involved in the design, with Vornado's David Bellman, executive vice president of design and construction, identified in connection with the project filing.

For Vornado, the project represents a significant expansion into rental housing while continuing the company's long-term redevelopment of the Penn District.