It may have been doubted before, but yes, the $1 billion renovation of Madison Square Garden has actually happened. After about three years, the third and final phase of the project was unveiled to much celeb-studded red-carpet fanfare today. What's new: a corporate-branded "Chase Square" Seventh Avenue entrance with a store; a brand new box office; new high-def screens and a scoreboard; and new suites. And, of the most architectural interest, there are the two "Chase Bridges" that are basically glassy catwalks suspended above the arena that offer new views of the games or concerts. There are also fancy new dining options, courtesy of La Esquina, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and the BLT restaurant folks. The previous renovation stages brought back the blue seats, among other things. The hefty cost of the makeover was one weapon that MSG management attempted to use to try to get its special permit to operate extended. But that failed, and in July the City Council voted to limit the area's lifeline to 10 years. It's unclear what will happen after that, since it's unlikely that over-ambitious plans to build a new Penn Station will have actually materialized in 2023, but we suppose you should go enjoy the renovations (and the time-lapse video showing their progress) while you can.
· MSG Transformation [official]
· Garden Party: MSG Unveils Transformation [CO]
· All Madison Square Garden coverage [Curbed]
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