The City Council is set to extend Madison Square Garden’s permit to operate its arena atop Penn Station for five years — half of what the Adams administration approved earlier this year and well below the arena’s desire to stay permanently, as transit officials seek to redevelop the long-maligned train hub below “The World’s Most Famous Arena.”
The Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises and Land Use Committee cast the vote on Monday at a hearing delayed by several hours as negotiations were finalized. The full Council must still approve the permit — typically a formality if already approved in committee — before going to a review by the City Planning Commission and finally to the mayor.
MSG had sought to have its permit renewed in perpetuity, claiming it was necessary for long-term business planning, but the local community board recommended only a three-year extension on the condition it relocate afterward, with the support of local elected officials representing Manhattan’s west side.
The three railroad agencies using Penn Station — the MTA, New Jersey Transit, and Amtrak — said earlier this year that the Garden’s continued presence above North America’s busiest transportation hub is not “compatible” with plans to improve and modernize it.
On Monday, local City Council Member Erik Bottcher highlighted what he characterized as the Garden’s outdated loading scheme, which brings a slew of trucks into the busiest parts of Manhattan daily, along with the difficulties the arena poses to redeveloping the train station.
“Because of this use conflict, at this time the Council cannot determine the long-term viability of an arena at this location,” said Bottcher. “Therefore, five years is an appropriate term for this special permit.”
On land use concerns, the Council typically defers to the whims of the local member where a rezoning is being sought, a controversial process known as “member deference.”
The…
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