A statement from RPA President & CEO Tom Wright:

“RPA strongly supports Chairman Garodnick and the Department of City Planning’s commitment to ensuring that Madison Square Garden is a more active participant in the public realm in and around Penn Station as the City Council considers MSG’s proposal to renew its operating permit. This includes a commitment to improved public and open space, assuring that the arena’s loading docks are compatible with safe pedestrian movement, and making sure the arena is compatible with the Penn Station renovation project. We hope the results of negotiations between the city and MSG prioritize the safety of pedestrians and passengers passing through the busiest station in the Western Hemisphere and its surrounding area. It is absolutely essential that MSG help prioritize improving the experience of the hundreds of thousands of NJ Transit, Amtrak, and MTA riders that use the station daily. RPA thanks Mayor Adams, Commissioner Garodnick, and the New York City Council, for pushing for a better Penn Station for all the region’s residents and visitors.”