SOM chairman urges industry to push for Penn Station project.

If the Penn Station Redevelopment project doesn't go out to bid within a month, the real estate industry should aggressively push for it, said Skidmore, Owings & Merrill chairman Marilyn Jordan Taylor at an Association of Real Estate Women lunch.

"If this project doesn't go out to bid within two to four weeks, we should raise hell," Taylor said during her presentation called "Civic Design Politics, Pennsylvania Station and the Future of Lower Manhattan"

Taylor called the project "tremendously important for the city" and asked for the industry's help in ensuring the project moves forward. Although it has been on the books for years, the project has faced pitfalls.

In early October, the U.S. Postal Service told the state that they were putting redevelopment plans on hold because the Sept. 11 attacks had resulted in the need for more post office space. Under the project plans, a portion of the Farley Post Office at the site will be reclaimed for the project.

After the post office's announcement, Penn State redevelopment officials successfully lobbied federal officials to have the project put back on the front burner.

"We strongly believe that this project is more important than ever before," Taylor said. "The White House has heard us and has the brought the Post Office back to the table."

Taylor out lined the overarching goals of the $788 million project, which was once projected to be completed in 2003. With construction expected to last about four years, the completion date has been pushed back to 2005.

In addition to improving the transportation system, officials want to create an improved gateway and a new symbol for New York City by trying to restore some of the grandeur that once marked Penn Station. With 90 million passengers annually, the station is busier than the region's three airports combined.

"Passengers certainly deserve a more dignified experience than they have now," Taylor said.

Plans for the project include building flagship facilities for Amtrak; world-class airport access facilities to serve links to John F. Kennedy International and Newark Airports for airport-bound passengers; expanded facilities for commuters; improvements to the 8th Avenue subway; new and renovated Postal Service facilities; and approximately 100,0000 SF of high-quality retail, commercial, and conference center spaces.

In March, a joint venture between The Staubach Company and Fraport AG was selected to develop, maintain and operate the new station. Taylor discussed the design of the building and the civic responsibility attached to it.

"We live in a time when we've begun to understand that there s a civic responsibility to what we do," Taylor said. "We understand the importance of public space in a diverse community."