Penn Station Demolition

CartLegger: 14th Jan 2010 - 22:38 GMT

truly a sin against history.

as a teacher, i try and keep alive the indignity of this event for today's teens.

But they like basketball more than architecture-- so it ain't easy.

Franny Wentzel: 14th Jan 2010 - 22:51 GMT

It's not like there wasn't a vacant lot only a block away they could've slapped their precious box of MSG on...

EvilGentleman: 19th Jan 2010 - 03:49 GMT

Big money seldom has any respect for history. It is so sad that real estate values so often trump the collective memories of whole cities, states and nations.

One day, someone will realize that most of our history has been bulldozed, but by then it will be too late.

The biggest citynoise should be the sound of people protesting to save the city's legacy. Soon every city will have the exact same big-box stores, the exact same buses, the exact same everything. At that point, cities will become generic and pointless, the only distinctions being the local weather and/or topography.

Franny Wentzel: 19th Jan 2010 - 05:11 GMT

I remember reading the book 'Lost Montreal'. The before and after photos of some of the 'Places' were heartbreaking as were the loss of fine mansions. One entry showed the gate to an estate with the note that that was the only image left of a significant property.

livia: 20th Jan 2010 - 13:43 GMT

Great article. Amazing pics.

I totally agree with you EvilGentleman "The biggest citynoise should be the sound of people protesting to save the city's legacy. Soon every city will have the exact same big-box stores, the exact same buses, the exact same everything. At that point, cities will become generic and pointless, the only distinctions being the local weather and/or topography."

And yes, it is heartbreaking ...

James Seacat: 23rd Jan 2010 - 06:50 GMT

One can only hope that in the near future this architectural abomination will be kissed by a 3-ton steel wrecking ball. As for the Architectural firm that designed this idiocy with a couple of crayons, Charles Luckman and Associates, are located in Los Angeles. Go figure! This merry band of morons have designed buildings around the country and the world with their banal corporate insults to the civic fabric! Makes you wonder if these buildings were designed by machines or pinned by man. The problem is not that money talks, but that stupidity and blind arrogance exists! With hope, the next manifestation of Madison Square Garden will be designed by someone with TALENT! Any New Yorkers game for some "controlled demolition!"

Franny Wentzel: 23rd Jan 2010 - 19:50 GMT

If you could guarantee it'll be replaced it with this... I'd volunteer to hijack a locomotive, chain some support columns to it and go to town...

Jim Beckwith: 19th Apr 2010 - 22:13 GMT

As the one hundredth anniversary of Penn Station draws near, the true genius of this project is still very much alive and well...the tunnels under both rivers, the tracks that run through them to the current Penn Station and the Hellgate Bridge which lies beyond, were all integral parts of one of the greatest engineering triumphs of all time. It is nothing less than criminal that the headhouse and concourse which once so fittingly crowned all of it were replaced by an ediface which has all the architectural character of a central air-conditioning unit. It would be wholly fitting to replace Madison Square Garden and its adjacent office building with exactly what was there in the first place. I know this could probably never happen, but given all manner of things that we absolutely waste money on, would it be so wrong to "waste" money on something that would truly be a gift to the world?

Franny Wentzel: 25th Apr 2011 - 08:01 GMT

Fuller Company advert for their work on Penn Station