Roth Replants the Plan to Move Madison Square Garden

Remember the plan to move Madison Square Garden that came and went just before the recession? Developer Steven Roth is trying to cultivate support to replant the arena once again. The plan is to move M.S.G. one block west, taking it off of Penn Station and moving it to where the James A. Farley Post Office is now. Roth has reportedly spoken with Garden president Hank J. Ratner and James L. Dolan of the Garden-controlling family, not to mention City Hall officials. According to Roth’s new plan, the post office building would become an adjunct to an expanded Penn Station, to be renamed Moynihan Station. The current Madison Square Garden would be razed and replaced by a retail mall.

Will Madison Square Garden move a block away?

For their part, Garden officials say that their massive, planned renovation is moving ahead.

“The process to transform M.S.G. is well under way, and any other option that may or may not be available is not being considered, period. This transformation is the best option for our customers, partners and all of New York.” — Barry Watkins, a spokesman for the Garden.

Roth argues that the renovation could actually be more expensive and disruptive than originally thought, and that New York could still end up with an arena inferior to what the Nets are building in Brooklyn.

There are two major changes from the 2008 plan, removing its most controversial and most popular aspects. The former contained a controversial component that created a special zoning district. That new zoning district concept was unpopular because it could have been used to create development rights for Roth’s Vornado Development Group to build skyscrapers in the surrounding neighborhood. Also absent from the revived proposal is the expansion or renovation of Penn Station, which was largely what made it so popular with civic and business groups last time around.

Photo Credit: Daniel Morris

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