A nonprofit group is pitching a plan to transform Penn Station by relocating Madison Square Garden and building a new train station and park in its place.

The proposal, put forward by Grand Penn Community Alliance on Tuesday, aims to restore key features of the original Penn Station, which was torn down in the 1960s.

What You Need To Know

  • A nonprofit group is pitching a plan to transform Penn Station by relocating Madison Square Garden and building a new train station and park in its place

  • The revamped Penn Station would incorporate the original’s classical architecture, with high ceilings in both the concourse and train hall

  • The plan also includes an outdoor park about the same size as Bryant Park

The organization’s chief architect, Alexandros Washburn, presented his vision for the renovation at the New York Historical.

The revamped Penn Station would incorporate the original’s classical architecture, with high ceilings in both the concourse and train hall. The plan also includes an outdoor park about the same size as Bryant Park.

During the presentation, Washburn said Madison Square Garden would be relocated a block away on Seventh Avenue, at the site of the former Hotel Pennsylvania. The existing arena would be demolished.

Washburn described the proposal as a “win-win-win,” floating the idea of the arena’s owner, James Dolan, receiving lifetime rights to the property, rather than having to renew the lease with the City Council every few years.

The current lease on Madison Square Garden is set to expire in 2028. Washburn maintained that such a deal would prove tempting to Dolan, who has been vocal in the past about not wanting to move.

The local community would gain much-needed green space, Washburn said, with the new park extending between Seventh and Eighth avenues.

Commuters, meanwhile, would benefit from a world-class transit hub designed to last for the next century, he added.

Washburn said moving Madison Square Garden wouldn’t just make renovating the busy transit hub considerably easier, but would also make it safer and more cost-effective, while allowing for an innovative approach to the design of the station.

He argued that Madison Square Garden is the oldest and least efficient arena in the NBA, and relocating it is the most logical step.

As for pricing, Washburn said the project could be completed for roughly the same as previously considered proposals by Amtrak and New York state — and could be finished during the same timeframe.

A previous state-approved proposal to transform the area into a commercial hub with several new office towers stalled in 2023 after the developer withdrew from the project.

Any redevelopment plan would require joint approval from both New York and New Jersey.

Washburn said Tuesday that the nonprofit group has submitted its plan to the state and federal governments for review.

Amtrak, which operates out of Penn Station, provided a statement to NY1 in response to the proposal.

“In collaboration with the Federal Railroad Administration and our railroad partners, Amtrak is committed to improving current conditions and increasing train capacity at New York Penn Station while respecting the history and vibrancy of the surrounding neighborhood,” the statement reads. “It is essential that options are evaluated on their ability to meet the transportation needs of the region, and their ability to enhance the Northeast Corridor's critical role in powering the national and regional economy.”