Municipal Arts Society enlists prominent architects to find Madison Square Garden a new home

Non-profit organization the Municipal Arts Society has recruited four noted architectural firms to find a new nest for Madison Square Garden and lend their design expertise to reconfiguring Penn Station when (and if) the stadium moves, Crain’s reported. The list includes Santiago Calatrava, SHoP Architects, SOM and Diller, Scofidio + Renfro.

The architects will present their plans on May 29, and the goal is for the proposals to be incorporated into the discussion around granting MSG a special permit — especially before the City Council weighs in as part of the public review process.

As previously reported, MSG’s 50-year permit to function as an over 2,500-seat arena expired in January. While the stadium itself wants a “perpetual” permit, advocacy groups, such as MAS, are fighting for a limited 10-year renewal.

“MAS strongly believes that now is the time to lay out a clear plan for New York City which offers a more optimistic vision,” MAS President Vin Cipolla told Crain’s. “The city needs to do the right thing and set as its goal a new Penn Station and a new arena in 10 years.”

For its part, MSG has tried to relocate previously on several occasions.

“We were all in,” MSG CEO Hank Ratner told Crain’s. “There’s never been a place we could go to.” [Crain’s] —Zachary Kussin