September 12, 2005
MSG V redux?
Just three months after announcing plans to renovate Madison Square Garden, building owner Cablevision (which also owns the Knicks, Rangers and Liberty) is now in talks with developers about incorporating a new Garden into the rebuilt Farley Post Office across the street, while tearing down the old one - the fourth such building by that name, if you're keeping count - to make way for new office towers. (If you think you've heard this idea before, you have.) Unanswered questions include how much Cablevision would pay for the land, whether there's enough room within the historic post office building's walls to construct a modern sports arena, and just why anybody would name a post office after Farley.
Maybe MSG would take their ridiculous tax exemption across the street with them. Since Farley is already off the tax rolls it might end up being a net benefit to the City if the current MSG site ever gets redeveloped.
Posted by John on September 13, 2005 09:33 AM
So basically this time around we're just skipping the whole process of demolishing a beautiful historical landmark to make way for an ugly sports stadium and going straight to sticking the new Moynihan station back underground for a new MSG?
Posted by Mike on September 13, 2005 09:49 AM
Doubt it. You can't demolish a landmark. My bet is that the arena would be on the 9th Avenue side, with the station occupying the non Post office portions of the 8th Ave side. I'd rather have an arena than the big box crap that Related was going to put there.
Posted by John on September 13, 2005 02:07 PM
"Farley" is James A. Farley, postmaster general under FDR.
Posted by Charles Everett on September 13, 2005 04:15 PM
I find it hard to believe that FDR's postmaster ever rescued a toddler from a flooded creek with his teeth.
Posted by Neil on September 13, 2005 05:30 PM