Madison Square Garden Told to Find a New Home

The long quest to transform Penn Station got a major boost yesterday when the New York City Council voted to renew Madison Square Garden's lease for just 10 years. The Garden's owners had sought an unlimited extension.

1 minute read

July 25, 2013, 2:00 PM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj

"The New York City Council took the first step in a long process to remake Penn Station, Wednesday. It voted overwhelmingly to limit the lease on Madison Square Garden, which sits atop nation's busiest transit hub," reports Jessica Gould. "In a 47-1 vote, the Council decided not to grant the Madison Square Garden company a permit in perpetuity, but instead offered just a 10-year lease renewal."

"City Council Speaker Christine Quinn told reporters she hopes the shorter permit will give the Garden enough time to come up with a plan to move so that improvements can then be made to Penn Station."

"The vote is the culmination of a concerted campaign from urban planners, transportation advocates and civic groups like the Municipal Arts Society and Regional Plan Association who have been framing the shorter lease renewal more as a vote for a hypothetical—and revenue raising—new Penn Station than about a sports arena," adds Gould.

FULL STORY: City Council Limits Lease on Madison Square Garden, Makes Way for a New Penn Station

Thursday, July 25, 2013 in WNYC: Transportation Nation

Government / Politics Land Use New York Madison Square Garden lease renewal Penn Station

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