Madison Square Garden

History of "The Garden"

Located in the heart of Manhatten, Madison Square Garden has been a fixture in New York City for over 100 years. Now know just as "The Garden", it has been re-built and moved several times over its history. What is now knows as Madison Square Garden (MSG) is actually the fourth incarnation of the building. The first Madison Square Garden was built in 1879 and had a seating capacity of 10,000 people. MSG I was located at the junction of Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street (Madison Square). The first incarnation only lasted 11 eleven years due to shoddy construction. The second version of Madison Square Garden was designed and built by famed architect Stanford White on the exact same parcel of land. MSG II lasted 35 years and held a number of sporting events, as well as the 1924 Democratic National Convention. MSG II closed in 1925.

The third version of Madison Square Garden was opened in 1925 and was built at a new location on Eighth Avenue and 50th Street. This new facility was the home of the New York Rangers hockey team as well as the New York Knicks basketball team. The fourth version of Madison Square Garden is located at Seventh Avenue and 33rd Street, above Penn Station. It opened in 1968 and has been home to countless sporting events as well as concerts by such greats as Bruce Springsteen and Frank Sinatra.

Madison Square Garden and Asbestos

The current Madison Square Garden was constructed and opened in 1968. During the 1960s and into the 1970s, asbestos was a common mineral that was used in many areas of construction. Asbestos a durable and fire-retardant material, making it ideal for use in insulation, floor and ceiling tiles. It was not until the mid 1970s that the dangers associated with asbestos became public.

It is well documented that asbestos products were used during construction of Madison Square Garden. Asbestos was used mainly as insulation on the piping systems that provided heat, steam and hot water throughout. Once the dangers of asbestos became know, serious efforts to remove older asbestos containing products were made. It is believed that through improper removal procedures, hundreds or even thousands of workers in Madison Square Garden as well as the New York Coliseum were placed in a hazardous asbestos-dust containing environment. Since asbestos diseases typically have a long latency period, it could take decades to discover who in fact was harmed.

Former Madison Square Garden Workers At Risk

Strong evidence was uncovered detailing the health dangers associated with prolonged exposure to asbestos by the mid 1970s. Many men and women who worked with asbestos for extended periods of time were coming down with pulmonary diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.. Since asbestos was present at Madison Square Garden during construction, those who breathed asbestos dust while working there may be at risk to develop asbestos related diseases in the future. If you or a loved one was exposed to asbestos at Madison Square Garden and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos related disease, resources are available to help you.