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Pennsy Food Hall Will Be Shutting Down At The End Of March
By
Jen Carlson
Published Feb 12, 2020
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Feb 12, 2020
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The Pennsy food hall that has been in operation at the base of 2 Penn Plaza since 2015 will be shutting down at the end of March. Opened five years ago just outside the entrance to Madison Square Garden (replacing a Borders bookstore), Pennsy gave the arena's pre-game and pre-show crowds a convenient variety of fast-casual options. In 2017, after a brief closure and renovation, Pennsy reopened with more new vendors, including a large centerpiece bar from the Dead Rabbit folks.
The Commercial Observer reported on Tuesday night that Vornado Realty Trust, which own the space, "has been working on a $2 billion modernization of the neighborhood around Penn Station, which includes work on 2 Penn Plaza, which is being rebranded as Penn 2... The renovation will extend the first four stories of the building’s base and add 145,000 square feet of office space."
The station has been seeing a lot of changes lately, with a a $600 million revamp in progress. Last year, longtime commuter fave Tracks was forced to relocate, along with other businesses, to accommodate renovations. At the time we were told the MTA was delivering their vacant spaces to Vornado, which would determine if any of those Penn Station businesses would be offered a chance to return once the work was concluded.
Meanwhile, the Pennsy bummer comes with another: beloved vegan food purveyor Cinnamon Snail, founded by Adam Sobel over a decade ago, is gone for good once Pennsy shuts its doors, Sobel says. Cinnamon Snail started as a food truck only, and eventually expanded to Pennsy when it opened, providing a wonderful option for vegetarians and vegans before a show at MSG.
Sobel said in a Facebook post on Tuesday night, "I have made the decision to pull the plug on The Cinnamon Snail entirely when the Pennsy closes its doors at the end of March." He added that he would consider selling "the entire brand... recipes, food trucks and commercial kitchen," but either way is looking to move on from Cinnamon Snail. "The Snail is a great reflection of who I was and what I wanted 12 years ago when I started planning the food truck," he wrote. "Now it is time for me to create something that's a better reflection of who I am now, and what I feel like the vegan world needs next."
He is now actively looking for spaces for his next venture—"standalone vented restaurant locations in NYC and NJ... please hit us up if you know about a great spot that you know of for rent."
Sobel told Gothamist they "were given notice about a week ago," but added that "Vornado hasn’t been really forthcoming with info on if the Pennsy will re-open after the renovations, or how long construction will take."
Rendering of 2 Penn plans from 2018
Vornado Realty Trust
At the end of 2018, the Real Deal reported that the 2 Penn overhaul was expected to take 24 to 30 months, with the aim of combining 1 Penn and 2 Penn "into a 4.4 million-square-foot campus." Last year, Governor Cuomo announced plans for a new entrance to Penn Station, which will sit between those two buildings on 33rd Street.
The renderings from 2018 did not show Pennsy. Vornado has not yet returned our request for comment and clarification on the future fate of the food hall.
Tagged
penn station
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Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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