The Port Authority unveiled five potential designs for a new multibillion-dollar bus terminal on Manhattan's west side, but it's possible none of the elaborate proposals will ever get off the drawing board. NY1's Jose Martinez filed the following report.

The consensus on the Port Authority Bus Terminal is that's unloved and outdated. 

But what eventually replaces the grungy hub isn't clear yet. not even after the Port Authority on Thursday unveiled five pricey design proposals for a new terminal on Manhattan's West Side.

"I think there's a lot of interesting, provocative and, in some cases, actionable ideas there," said Patrick Foye, executive director of the Port Authority.

Among the concepts: A bus terminal built into the lowest floor of the Javits Center on 11th Avenue with a link to the 7 train at 34th Street-Hudson Yards, and a terminal topped by a nearly 10-acre rooftop park, and connected to a new 7 train stop beneath 10th Avenue.

"I think there's widespeard agreement that some of them are more farfetched than others. But they are all a good way to get discussion going and get people thinking innovative thought," said Assemblyman Richard Gottfried of Manhattan.

The concepts were submitted by five firms picked as finalists in an "International Design Competition" that began nearly a year ago. But the new hub to replace the existing 66-year-old bus terminal may be completely different: The Port Authority agreed this month to reset the design process after elected officials from the West Side said there was not enough public input. 

"I think all of the participants recognize that the idea is to come up with something that is the best possible solution. But we will never achieve perfection," said Steven Cohen, vice chairman of the Port Authority.

"We think and plan before we pick designs. And we who represent the neighborhood, the Hells Kitchen neighborhood, are very concerned that no more of Hells Kitchen be torn down to make way for a new bus terminal," Gottfried said.

Some of the ideas call for a new terminal to be built on Port Authority-owned land, with no need to raze existing structures.

As for what comes next with the Port Authority Bus Terminal, the agency says it's not going to lock itself into a timetable.  

"We'll take as much time as it takes to make sure that everybody's properly included in the process," said John Degnan, chairman of the Port Authority.

Whatever is built, it won't be cheap. It's expected to cost several billion dollars.