President Donald Trump is weighing a sweeping proposal to rebuild Penn Station that would include relocating Madison Square Garden, the Gothamist reported Thursday.
The outlet detailed a politically connected plan that underscores the administration's broader push to revive classical architecture in major federal projects.
According to sources familiar with a previously undisclosed Oval Office meeting, a group tied to the Grand Penn Community Alliance pitched Trump on moving the arena and reconstructing the transit hub in a grand, classical style reminiscent of the original station demolished in the 1960s.
The plan, estimated at $7.5 billion, features Greco-Roman columns, a glass roof and expansive public space, while relocating the 19,000-seat arena across Seventh Avenue.
The proposal is one of three finalists under consideration by Amtrak, which, along with the U.S. Department of Transportation, now oversees the project after the Trump administration assumed control from New York's MTA.
A "master developer" is expected to be selected in May, with billions in federal investment anticipated.
While Trump has not committed to the plan, sources say he is taking it seriously, viewing the project as a potential legacy-defining effort.
"As a New York native, President Trump is personally invested in revitalizing New York Penn Station," White House spokesperson Kush Desai said.
However, any relocation of Madison Square Garden would require the cooperation of its owner, James Dolan, who has repeatedly rejected the idea.
The Penn Station redesign has emerged as an "exhibit A" of sorts for the administration's architectural agenda.
Trump previously signed an executive order mandating that new federal buildings reflect "classical architecture of ancient Athens and Rome," and project guidelines now require proposals to account for that directive.
Advocates of the Grand Penn plan argue the redesign would correct what many consider one of the country's greatest architectural losses.
Critics, however, warn that the process lacks transparency and question whether political influence could shape the final decision.
"We don't know how it's going to be financed. President Trump is involved and maybe he'll select the winning bidder. On what criteria? We don't know," Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., wrote in a letter to former NYC Transit President Andy Byford.
"What are the criteria for selecting the winning proposals? How much money you gave to the Trump campaign?" Nadler questioned.
Despite its ambition, the proposal faces significant hurdles.
Relocating Madison Square Garden would involve coordination among private developers, city and state officials, federal agencies, and property owners, along with potential taxpayer subsidies. The arena's structural integration into the station further complicates any move.
Officials emphasize that the redevelopment will likely rely on a public-private partnership model, similar to LaGuardia Airport's overhaul, but key details, including financing and selection criteria, remain unclear.
With competing bids also in play, most of which would leave the Garden in place, the final decision will hinge on feasibility, cost and political alignment.
At present, the Penn Station overhaul stands at the intersection of infrastructure, real estate, and ideology, with the administration's vision for classical design facing the realities of modern urban development.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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