OT: Madison Square Garden Renovations (Part VI)

[GordonGecko]

Agreed. Penn needs to be nicer and MSG needs to be nicer. However, MSG is well on the way to being improved in the same spot its in now, and though the building has changed a few times, this current edition of MSG has a ton of history. I think the best solution would involve finding a nicer, above-ground building for Penn in the immediate area. I'm not very well educated on the issue, but I remember hearing that there's a huge post office building nearby? Perhaps that could be turned into an extension for Penn somehow?

Actually, MSG has a ton of history in moving every few decades. But they probably won't be moving from this location any time soon. I do expect Dolan corp to have to pony up to keep the doors open though

 

[patnyrnyg]

How many millions of people pass through there each week? There are already tons of people hanging out there. But it's outdated, claustrophobic and generally uninspiring and depressing. Many people are also coming into manhattan...not exactly a warm welcome to the world's greatest city.

Again, who cares? It allows people from LI and Jersey to get to work in the city. Nobody from the suburbs is going to stop traveling through Penn Station because it is outdated, claustrophobic, generally uninspiring, and depressing. They may try to get jobs in the suburbs, but the commute time will have a lot more impact on that that the decor of penn station.

 

[patnyrnyg]

Agreed. Penn needs to be nicer

no, it really doesn't.

 

[Brooklyn Ranger]

It's not a question of Penn Station looking "nicer" it's a question of it becoming more functional in order to serve the needs of the people who use it and the city that depends on it.

 

[haveandare]

Actually, MSG has a ton of history in moving every few decades. But they probably won't be moving from this location any time soon. I do expect Dolan corp to have to pony up to keep the doors open though

I'm aware of the history of moving. My point is that this particular building also now has a lot of sports history that is relevant to our current culture. It's a reason to keep the building where it is as long as possible.

no, it really doesn't.

You don't think so. That's fine. I disagree.

It's not a question of Penn Station looking "nicer" it's a question of it becoming more functional in order to serve the needs of the people who use it and the city that depends on it.

Personally, I didn't mean just look nicer, though I did mean that in part, I meant be a more pleasant experience all around, including being more functional as you've said. As for looks, this is New York City, some of the most impressive and beautiful buildings in the world are here. The other train station in town is a work of art, and Penn used to be also. Ideally, Penn should look nice. It should welcome people to New York in a way that everyone can be proud of and excited about. It doesn't "need" to do that, but Grand Central doesn't "need" to be a work of art, either. Many beautiful buildings, or hell, things in general, don't need to be nice, but them being that way ends up having huge effects on people's lives and thoughts and interactions.

 

[trueblue9441]

It's not a question of Penn Station looking "nicer" it's a question of it becoming more functional in order to serve the needs of the people who use it and the city that depends on it.

well to function better, more platforms and tunnels need to be built. so far we've never heard any indication of that happening.

 

[broadwayblue]

Again, who cares? It allows people from LI and Jersey to get to work in the city. Nobody from the suburbs is going to stop traveling through Penn Station because it is outdated, claustrophobic, generally uninspiring, and depressing. They may try to get jobs in the suburbs, but the commute time will have a lot more impact on that that the decor of penn station.

We get it. You don't care. Many people feel differently. I rarely use Penn Station so it's really irrelevant to me.

 

[The Korean*]

no, it really doesn't.

Uh yes it does. People commute to work is more vital to economy. Current one is barely functional and wont be in the future.

 

[Kakko]

Uh yes it does. People commute to work is more vital to economy. Current one is barely functional and wont be in the future.

building some lavish above ground building won't make trains run better

 

[trueblue9441]

Uh yes it does. People commute to work is more vital to economy. Current one is barely functional and wont be in the future.

right it wont be functional in the future unless theres more tunnels and platforms. NONE of the ideas put forth even address that issue. all quinn is worried about is a new head house and expanded concourses.

 

[bobby peru]

building some lavish above ground building won't make trains run better

Right - which is why they want to reconstruct the rail facilities as well. The above ground aspect is so it could look like any other train station in the world that carries as many passengers as Penn Station does.

 

[Levitate]

They could redo the below ground stuff without moving MSG...

Also, they don't have the money to do this anyways

 

[The Korean*]

building some lavish above ground building won't make trains run better

It will immensely improve commute experience for NJT and Amtrak passengers and oh, LIRR.

 

[Walk With Lias]

Uh yes it does. People commute to work is more vital to economy. Current one is barely functional and wont be in the future.

It won't improve until they expand track space. You could have the nicest station in the word but if the infrastructure doesn't change your just going to have the couple thousand commuters waiting by TV monitors surrounded by marble. Trains still won't be able to be posted more than 10 or so minutes before departure, and you'll still have each railroads customers crammed into one part of the station. The LIRR trains will still leave from 13-21, and NJT/Amtrak will still share the rest of them. If your planning on seeing commuting numbers increase as well I hope the LIRR has some sort of plan to deal with larger crowds. Those 12 car trains aren't going to cut it if crowds grow by 5% or more.

 

[GordonGecko]

It will immensely improve commute experience for NJT and Amtrak passengers and oh, LIRR.

It won't improve until they expand track space. You could have the nicest station in the word but if the infrastructure doesn't change your just going to have the couple thousand commuters waiting by TV monitors surrounded by marble. Trains still won't be able to be posted more than 10 or so minutes before departure, and you'll still have each railroads customers crammed into one part of the station. The LIRR trains will still leave from 13-21, and NJT/Amtrak will still share the rest of them. If your planning on seeing commuting numbers increase as well I hope the LIRR has some sort of plan to deal with larger crowds. Those 12 car trains aren't going to cut it if crowds grow by 5% or more.

And not for nothing, but it would be mainly NYC taxpayers paying so that outsiders can have nicer digs (Long Islanders & ppl from New Jersey mainly who ride those trains)

 

[ratdog07067]

Meanwhile, several floors above Penn -

 

[GordonGecko]

ooooooo, a wrap around board - very interesting

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Thats going to look great with the ceiling

That thing is enormous... look at the truck behind it for scale

 

[Megustaelhockey]

ooooooo, a wrap around board - very interesting

I have to think that something will go in between the lower wraparound part and that top gantry that doesn't have anything on it yet. As long as it is big, clear, and doesn't get hit with any pucks (or basketballs), I am fine with any modern board.

 

[Brooklyn Ranger]

Personally, I didn't mean just look nicer, though I did mean that in part, I meant be a more pleasant experience all around, including being more functional as you've said. As for looks, this is New York City, some of the most impressive and beautiful buildings in the world are here. The other train station in town is a work of art, and Penn used to be also. Ideally, Penn should look nice. It should welcome people to New York in a way that everyone can be proud of and excited about. It doesn't "need" to do that, but Grand Central doesn't "need" to be a work of art, either. Many beautiful buildings, or hell, things in general, don't need to be nice, but them being that way ends up having huge effects on people's lives and thoughts and interactions.

I absolutely understand where you're coming from--I travel through Grand Central regularly and never get tired of going through that beautiful building, especially since they took the paint off the windows. And creating nicer space at Penn is the main reason why they ultimately want to use the Post Office building as the main terminal. But, over all the main reason to move MSG is to be able to handle not only all the people who travel through there today (which is nearly 3X the numbers planned for back in the mid 1960s), but also so the numbers can increase over the next 50 years. As a major world-class City we have to plan for the future.

 

[wolfgaze]

That thing is a monster.

 

[dstoffa]

Actually, MSG has a ton of history in moving every few decades. But they probably won't be moving from this location any time soon. I do expect Dolan corp to have to pony up to keep the doors open though

And actually, in 2021, MSG IV will have been standing longer than the original Penn Station....

 

[patriot174]

An updated shot from 8pm with the massive new scoreboard elevated a bit:

 

[Kakko]

That thing looks gorgeous

 

[ratdog07067]

Most of the scaffolding is down -

The panorama view is back up but it's a few days old - you can see the seats though in this view