by Jeremy Soffin, Vice President for Public Affairs, RPA
The best - and worst - kept secret in New York is that plans are moving ahead for relocating Madison Square Garden into the Farley Post Office Building as part of the long-awaited Moynihan Station project. Every media outlet in town has reported the story, but no one seems to have seen the details or know what impact the move will have on the existing Penn Station or the future Moynihan Station. Two things are clear; moving the Garden provides a tremendous opportunity for fixing Penn Station, but this potential brass ring must not derail commitments to move ahead with Moynihan Station now.
Moynihan Station is the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan's vision for a grand rail gateway into New York City. The plans call for redeveloping the eastern half of the Farley Post Office Building (which sits across 8th Avenue from Penn Station) to accommodate a train hall reminiscent of the original Penn Station, complete with all of the amenities commuters enjoy at Grand Central. Moynihan Station has been in the planning stages for a decade, but stands poised to break ground this year. A developer has been selected, funding is in place and final environmental reviews are underway.
Suddenly, a new vision has emerged that could go even further toward redeeming the tragic destruction of the original McKim, Mead, and White station in 1963. By moving Madison Square Garden to a new site (such as the Annex on the western side of the Farley Building), the entire Penn Station complex could be re-developed. If the developer builds a grand new transit hub - with open public spaces, better restaurants and shopping, natural light, improved access and security - the zoning bonuses will allow up to 5 million square feet of commercial development right where it belongs - at the busiest transit hub in North America.
If designed in a thoughtful way, with the public interest at heart, the plan would surely make Senator Moynihan proud. The new Penn Station complex could undo the tragic flaws of the 1960's project, bringing back street life. It is also a terrific opportunity to grow Manhattan's central business district, complementing Mayor Bloomberg's vision for the Far West Side. But there are still many unknowns and obstacles to be cleared. How will the relocated MSG co-exist with the historic Farley Building, and the new train hall? Will Penn Station get the overhaul it requires or just a new paint job in the rush to build the commercial space?
The Friends of Moynihan Station, a fledgling advocacy group convened by RPA under the leadership of Senator Moynihan's daughter, Maura, held a reception in Washington this week to address these issues. The message from the event's attendees - including Senators Schumer, Clinton, Lautenberg, Menendez and Warner, and Representatives Nadler and Maloney - was that Moynihan Station must come first. There is a real danger that the federal funding for this project will disappear if we delay any further. And in any case, to meet the public expectation for the project, a Garden move would call for a grand Penn Station complex that reaches both sides of 8th Avenue. The message to Washington, and from our leaders in the Capitol, is clear: Keep pursuing the big Penn Station prize, but move ahead immediately with the Moynihan Station piece of the puzzle.
The best - and worst - kept secret in New York is that plans are moving ahead for relocating Madison Square Garden into the Farley Post Office Building as part of the long-awaited Moynihan Station project. Every media outlet in town has reported the story, but no one seems to have seen the details or know what impact the move will have on the existing Penn Station or the future Moynihan Station. Two things are clear; moving the Garden provides a tremendous opportunity for fixing Penn Station, but this potential brass ring must not derail commitments to move ahead with Moynihan Station now.
Moynihan Station is the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan's vision for a grand rail gateway into New York City. The plans call for redeveloping the eastern half of the Farley Post Office Building (which sits across 8th Avenue from Penn Station) to accommodate a train hall reminiscent of the original Penn Station, complete with all of the amenities commuters enjoy at Grand Central. Moynihan Station has been in the planning stages for a decade, but stands poised to break ground this year. A developer has been selected, funding is in place and final environmental reviews are underway.
Suddenly, a new vision has emerged that could go even further toward redeeming the tragic destruction of the original McKim, Mead, and White station in 1963. By moving Madison Square Garden to a new site (such as the Annex on the western side of the Farley Building), the entire Penn Station complex could be re-developed. If the developer builds a grand new transit hub - with open public spaces, better restaurants and shopping, natural light, improved access and security - the zoning bonuses will allow up to 5 million square feet of commercial development right where it belongs - at the busiest transit hub in North America.
If designed in a thoughtful way, with the public interest at heart, the plan would surely make Senator Moynihan proud. The new Penn Station complex could undo the tragic flaws of the 1960's project, bringing back street life. It is also a terrific opportunity to grow Manhattan's central business district, complementing Mayor Bloomberg's vision for the Far West Side. But there are still many unknowns and obstacles to be cleared. How will the relocated MSG co-exist with the historic Farley Building, and the new train hall? Will Penn Station get the overhaul it requires or just a new paint job in the rush to build the commercial space?
The Friends of Moynihan Station, a fledgling advocacy group convened by RPA under the leadership of Senator Moynihan's daughter, Maura, held a reception in Washington this week to address these issues. The message from the event's attendees - including Senators Schumer, Clinton, Lautenberg, Menendez and Warner, and Representatives Nadler and Maloney - was that Moynihan Station must come first. There is a real danger that the federal funding for this project will disappear if we delay any further. And in any case, to meet the public expectation for the project, a Garden move would call for a grand Penn Station complex that reaches both sides of 8th Avenue. The message to Washington, and from our leaders in the Capitol, is clear: Keep pursuing the big Penn Station prize, but move ahead immediately with the Moynihan Station piece of the puzzle.
@RegionalPlan