In a time where most people think sports and public funding are abused, you may find this information of value.
It was 50 years ago that the Pennsylvania Railroad, which sold the air rights over Penn Station with a demolition allowance, had the wondrous architectural beauty torn down to make way for what is now Madison Square Garden.
(http://trn.trains.com/~/media/Images/Railroad%20News/News%20Wire/2013/12/Penn%20exterior.jpg?bc=000000&mw=225)
(http://trn.trains.com/~/media/Images/Railroad%20News/News%20Wire/2013/12/Penn%20interior.jpg?bc=000000&mw=225)
Penn Station (essentially underground now) became this subterranean hub of people movement, not nearly as striking as the original. But now reaching the limits of its capacities.
MSG Corporation (majority held by the Dolan Family) has been petitioning to get a "in perpetuity" air rights lease.
In a twist with significant irony, the New York City Council just notified the current leaseholders of those air rights that the agreement they made in 1963 will NOT be in perpetuity, and they have exactly 10 years to go find another place "to play".
Per the NY Times:
Ten years should be enough time, officials said, for the Garden to find a new location and for the city to devise plans for an expanded Pennsylvania Station, which currently sits below the Garden, and the redevelopment of the surrounding neighborhood.
The city had tried to boot MSG out of the space once before in 2008, but due to the recession, determined the financing was too difficult.
Complicating matters is the fact that the Dolan Family invested $968 Million in a MSG overhaul after the new station proposal died. Now with the 2024 move out mandate in place, they will have to take the Knicks, Rangers and Ice Capades to a new locale. All the city leaders (except 2) deemed that the needs of transportation and the surrounding neighborhoods were more important than propping up a profitable sports entity.
"This is the first step in finding a new home for Madison Square Garden and building a new Penn Station that is as great as New York and suitable for the 21st century," said Christine C. Quinn, the City Council speaker. "This is an opportunity to reimagine and redevelop Penn Station as a world-class transportation destination."
Pretty cool turn of events.
I think one of the coolest things about Jacksonville is that we have a mini Penn Station still standing.
Penn Station:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/Penn_Station3.jpg)
Jacksonville Terminal:
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/754214639_wQa3L-M.jpg)
Will be really interesting to see how this plays out.
Decision was actually made in July:
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php?topic=19168.0
Union Station in DC is beautifully restored:
(http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g374/sheclown2/unionstation.jpg) (http://s1098.photobucket.com/user/sheclown2/media/unionstation.jpg.html)
This battle has been going on for some time. I remember the discussions back in 2005-07 when I worked in Manhattan. Back then, there were plans to move part of Penn Station to the James Farley Post Office building right across the street. Images at the link below.
https://www.google.com/search?q=james+farley+post+office&espv=210&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=B8-lUqOPKInokAfjhYHoDg&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1600&bih=742
As you can see, it's a beautiful building. I've read that Amtrak (service that now runs at Penn Station) will move to the Post Office, which will be named the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Station.
My guess is that the Moynihan station project will expand and MSG stays put. The renovations going on at MSG are pretty impressive (and expensive too). However, only time will tell.
Quote from: Lunican on December 08, 2013, 11:48:52 PM
I think one of the coolest things about Jacksonville is that we have a mini Penn Station still standing.
Penn Station:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/Penn_Station3.jpg)
Jacksonville Terminal:
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/754214639_wQa3L-M.jpg)
It's really unfortunate what happened to NYC's original Penn Station building but we know that story pretty well here in Jacksonville. It is nice to have a mini-version still standing in downtown. It will be pretty cool to turn it back into its original use.
Below, a sketch by LPBrennan of the Jacksonville terminal our mini-Penn Station version replaced in 1919:
(http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs37/f/2008/268/c/e/Jacksonville_Terminal__1895_by_LPBrennan.jpg)
Quote from: sheclown on December 09, 2013, 08:42:58 AM
Union Station in DC is beautifully restored:
Union Station is pretty nice. Some others sitting in Metro Jacksonville's photo archives...
Tower City - Cleveland
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Learning-From/Cleveland/i-kRgXgMb/0/XL/P1640310-XL.jpg)
Liverpool Street Station - London
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Learning-From/London-Dec-2011/i-crjHrDV/0/M/DSC_0193-M.jpg)
St Pancras - London
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Learning-From/London-Dec-2011/i-3Kr6jpz/0/M/DSC_0294-M.jpg)
Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal - Cincinnati
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Learning-From/Cincinnati-2009/i-4M8KWmJ/0/M/P1230044-M.jpg)
Grand Central - NYC
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Learning-From/Grand-Central/i-zhWBqvw/0/M/IMG_0074-M.jpg)
former St. Louis Union Station - St. Louis
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Learning-From/St-Louis-August-2010/i-C5RgV5h/0/M/P1380925-M.jpg)
30th Street Station - Philadelphia
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Learning-From/Philadelphia-2010/i-3tCcBhP/0/M/DSC_0288-M.jpg)
Union Station - Kansas City
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Learning-From/Kansas-City-August-2010/i-8n3xBrN/0/M/P1380375-M.jpg)
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Learning-From/Kansas-City-August-2010/i-NwGqRHC/0/M/P1380386-M.jpg)
Milwaukee Intermodal Station - Milwaukee
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Learning-From/Milwaukee-WI-March-2011/i-bjKM7bK/0/M/DSC_0115-M.jpg)
Union Station - San Diego
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Learning-From/San-Diego-2011/i-bFrNzwF/0/M/P1490328-M.jpg)
Union Station - Los Angeles
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Learning-From/Los-Angeles-June-2011/i-zwVPkbx/2/M/DSC_0301-M.jpg)
Think of these large terminal halls but with a modern architecture involved. Sounds very exciting.
We'll see if they really move MSG somewhere else! If they do rebuild Penn Station to it's original state, then that would be a sight to behold!
With Penn Station, I think they should build one extra tunnel coming in from Hudson River so that it could supplement the existing North River Tunnels! The two new tunnels that they wanted to build were supposed to go to some basement under Macy's on 34th Street! They would not connect trackwise to the existing Penn Station layout! There have been too many plans have been created, and no one can agree on one definitive plan! That's why I say that there should be an agreement to build just one extra tunnel for now! It would ease some of the capacity constraints of that area of the NEC! I think that it is 23 trains an hour through the North River Tunnels! The new Tunnel should also be wider and higher than its predecessors to possibly accommodate taller rail cars to increase capacity on trains!