Another Madison Square Garden?

They say that history repeats itself, but this is re-dunk-u-lous. Moynihan Station, the long-planned Penn Station expansion into the Farley Post Office that is intended to make up for the destruction of the late, great, original Penn Station (above) hasn't even been built yet but developers are already vying to build a new Madison Square Garden on top of and around it. And yes, this would be MSG number 5 for those of you keeping count at home.

The idea of moving the Garden isn't a new one, talk of a move started in earnest back during the great West Side Stadium Fight of last year, but we'd sort of hoped that an MSG move would be put aside now that the Jets are staying in Jersey. Guess not.

On Tuesday, the developers — Steven Roth of Vornado Realty and his partners at the Related Companies — sought to convince Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg that moving the Garden one block west to Ninth Avenue would open up a historic opportunity to transform a dowdy and claustrophobic transit hub, overhaul an important corner of the city and generate tens of millions of dollars in tax revenues.

Apparently Bloomberg's folks are listening to the proposal carefully (enter Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff: "It is an intriguing and bold vision for what is first and foremost an important transportation project for New York City. We look forward to exploring the details of the proposal.") but there are a few reasons why the current administration most likely won't go for the plan, most important being the aggressive fight the Dolans' put up to stop the West Side Stadium, a fight which Bloomie took personally - "officials on both sides added that Mr. Bloomberg intended to use the move" if it happens "to strip the Garden of a property tax exemption worth more than $10 million a year."

The proposal, according to the Grey Lady, includes "three soaring towers in a complex akin to the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle. The towers would contain a mix of luxury stores, apartments, office space and a hotel." Not to mention yet another new plan for a new entrance into Penn Station.

Uhm, how many ways can we scream no to this one? Moynihan station is already years behind schedule and shows far too much promise to be derailed this far along in the game. Let's get it built, and built right, and then, sure, we can talk about moving the MSG. But Moynihan Station first, m'kay?

The Original Penn Station circa 1911 via Wikipedia.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Garth Johnston in News on May 27, 2006 1:34 PM

Comments [rss]

B

What all of the previous posts ignore is that the original Moynihan station plan you all are trying to save consisted of 350,000 SF of train station and 850,000 SF of private commercial space. This private space was proposed to be mostly for big box retail stores like Target. Where was the concern about the new Penn Station being swallowed up by Target?

Now the developers are proposing to build this 850,000 SF of private space (that they were always getting) as a new MSG. A trade - MSG instead of Target. The train station componant stays as part of the plan. And when this is all done we get two brand new stations instead of one. Someone help me out here. I don't see how this is a bad thing.

David

Disagree with Toby. We desperately need arenas in this city, and it's because of fights like these that our teams play in decades-old death traps. But yes, private money only please.

Andrew J. Lederer

You left out the fact that the old Penn Station was replaced (and its remnant entombed) by the current Garden.

And whether it's a good idea or not, now that we're finally closing in on a resurrection (of sorts) of some of the original Penn's glories, it seems they want to encapsulate it within a new Garden.

interlard

Here, here, Toby!

Let the greedy invest their own money to make their millions. NOT MINE!

Toby

There is no need for any new arenas in the City of New York. If someone wants to build an arena, they should: buy the land with no help from any government and pay for it with their own money.

Arenas and stadiums benefit a few very rich people so there is no need to mess with projects that actually benefit people - like the Farley conversion. When was the last time you shelled out an obscene amount of money to see millionaires play a children's game?

jmchez

Is there no end to the nefariousness of the MSG owners? Whether you were for or against the West Side stadium you got to admit that they fought it for utterly selfish reasons. But worse of all, have they no shame or sense of history?

The destruction of the old Penn Station was, perhaps, the greatest act of civic vandalism ever perpetrated on an American city. As if the station sacrificed itself to save others, its destruction lead to the landmarks preservation law that has saved many other structures, including Grand Central Terminal. The Penn Station wreckers promised a magnificent and modern station to replace the old one, instead we got dark and dowdy bus depot style basement.

Now we are, once again fighting for a new station worthy of the city and this guys with their greed want to interfere once again and build yet one more banal tower just like 1 Penn Plaza? I'm surprised that they are not suggesting to move MSG downtown as long as they can build over the Calatrava designed terminal there.

That the sh*tty looking and disposable (they started talking about moving it after only 20 years) drum set that is MSG got built is a disgrace, that they would try to repeat history is beyond criminal.