Institutional Commercial Planning Residential
Midtown Study "The Flip" New York City 2006
The State of New York proposed expanding the existing convention center north, blocking a total of seven blocks of Hudson riverfront.
CLA, working with the Steven L. Newman Real Estate Institute at Baruch College and Robert Geddes, proposed building a much larger convention center east west over the open railroad yards of Penn Station from Ninth Ave. to Twelfth Ave. “Flipping” the convention center would open up Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood to the Hudson.
A structural “Landbridge” would lift the convention center over the rebuilt street grid of retail and entertainment uses. The rail yard would continue to function below this street level deck. One of the city’s largest parks would sit atop the Landbridge. Additional commercial and residential buildings could also be built at the park level. A monorail would connect the Seventh Avenue subways at Penn Station to the entire complex.
Once this new complex is complete, the old convention center could be torn down and the land devoted to residential development. Over 14,000 units could be built, 4,000 of them affordable housing. Evelyn Kalka assisted on this study.
Midtown Study "The Flip" New York City 2006
The State of New York proposed expanding the existing convention center north, blocking a total of seven blocks of Hudson riverfront.
