The pending demolition of Pennsylvania Station was announced in 1961, eight years after William Zeckendorf signed an agreement with PRR to build Madison Square Garden atop the station. As part of an $50,000,000 agreement, Madison Square Garden was expected to be completed in 1964, with the main waiting room of Pennsylvania Station left in its current state with added amenities and modernization. The Garden would be constructed on the eighth avenue side while to office complex and hotel would be erected on the seventh avenue portion. The project would be headed by Charles Luckman of Associates of New York. and would include additional amenities such as a new passage for passengers to get from the underground station to the arena, a ballroom space for sports and common areas to watch television. Irving M. Felt, current president of the Madison Square Garden Inc., stated that no government funding would be needed to fund the project, although the estimated cost could reach up to $100,000,000.
Although plans to demolition the aboveground portion of the station were announced the year prior, Madison Square Garden Inc. …show more content…
Once the word got out that the architectural masterpiece, Pennsylvania Station was facing demolition, a group of young architects formed the Action Group for Better Architecture in New York (AGBANY) to fight to the pending demolition. AGBANY formed shortly after the plans were announced to demolish the station. The formation of the group came about when Diana Kirsch, a practicing architect, confronted the American Institutes of Architects (AIA) on what actions they were going to take to preserve Pennsylvania Station. As Diana recalls, “the response was that the AIA had decided not to do anything because the unions wanted the work.” One preservationist even stated “We don't need to preserve old building because we can make great new one.” Diana was appalled that fellow architects would even consider tearing down such a “great iron and glass
Although plans to demolition the aboveground portion of the station were announced the year prior, Madison Square Garden Inc. …show more content…
Once the word got out that the architectural masterpiece, Pennsylvania Station was facing demolition, a group of young architects formed the Action Group for Better Architecture in New York (AGBANY) to fight to the pending demolition. AGBANY formed shortly after the plans were announced to demolish the station. The formation of the group came about when Diana Kirsch, a practicing architect, confronted the American Institutes of Architects (AIA) on what actions they were going to take to preserve Pennsylvania Station. As Diana recalls, “the response was that the AIA had decided not to do anything because the unions wanted the work.” One preservationist even stated “We don't need to preserve old building because we can make great new one.” Diana was appalled that fellow architects would even consider tearing down such a “great iron and glass