Submitted by Edvin Stromsten, Feb 29, 2008 15:10

The development of the West Side running from 7th Avenue right into the Hudson River is the opportunity of a lifetime for New York City, and it seems to be in danger of fading into the morass of confused civic motives and the all too clear motives of the development community. No one seems to have an idea or a vision of what really could happen here. The lost opportunities are heart breaking.

We could start by having a real "brief" for the site in question that would describe a "wish list" and examine the various methods of fulfilling it. For example, the right place for the new Penn Station is right where it was and is (in miserably reduced form). Madison Square Garden could fit very nicely behind the facade of the Farley Building. A people mover system should connect from 7th Avenue to the waterfront with its increasing ferries, taxis, etc. North-south buildings cable assisted could easily span the railroad yards and support flowing platform spaces going east-west, leaving the yard to modify and adjust to the increasing RR traffic over the years. A strong orthogonal pattern here, reinforcing the magic grid of Manhattan, would form the basis for the play of towers along the north and south perimeter and other variations.

I could go on, but the point I want to make is that the site needs a vision, a strong idea, for all further development and designs to follow. This would take the inspired work of someone not flummoxed by the required square footages, or programmatic restrictions that totally negate any and all imaginative proposals.

Yes, it is in the provenance of good urban design to develop such a brief. Now. Is there the slightest chance that anyone will be asked to do this?

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