February 25, 2008
MSG to stay put after all?
The plan to build a new Madison Square Garden inside a landmarked post office building - at unspecified public expense - has gone from on hold to "in danger of collapse" along with the entire Penn Station redevelopment plan, according to the New York Times' Charles Bagli. The reason, he writes:
The project has grown in size and complexity, and the estimated cost of the new station has tripled, to $3 billion. There is squabbling between developers, the Garden, government officials, community groups and preservationists over the designs and how much the public would benefit. And now negotiations have stalled, despite three years of planning and lobbying in Albany and Washington, the officials and executives said.
Bagli reports that even if the plan does move forward, it would likely be without the arena component: "Frustrated by the delays and rising costs, Madison Square Garden has revived plans to renovate the 30-year-old arena instead of relocating. Garden officials have told real estate executives and civic leaders that they plan to announce the renovation plans in early March."
Guess Dolan will get his wish and eliminate the Blueseats once and for all....
Posted by Mark from NYC on February 25, 2008 08:02 PM
Why the MTA would extend the #7 and avoid Penn / Moynihan Station is belyond me.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/7_subway_extension_and_hudson_yards.svg
Posted by Jonathan on February 28, 2008 12:34 PM