Chuck has 'big' ideas for Javits

Paul Colford

Sen. Chuck Schumer urged state and city officials yesterday to continue to "think big" about the far West Side - suggesting that the Jets' loss could be the Javits Center's gain.

Schumer called for an ultra-expansion of the Javits Center, making it the largest convention space in the country, and extending the No. 7 subway to the far West Side.

"We can continue to delay ... critical projects like the No. 7, turn our backs on the future and feed the culture of inertia ... or we can move forward," he told the Partnership for New York City. Seven weeks ago, Schumer lamented "a culture of inertia" in rebuilding downtown. Yesterday, he warned that similar inertia on projects affecting the far West Side threatened the city's economic growth.

"Why not consider expanding the Javits Center even further, perhaps to as much as 3 million square feet, which would make us the largest convention center in the U.S.," Schumer said.

He suggested the West Side railyards, where the stadium was to be built atop a platform, now be considered for a grander Javits design.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Capital Program Review Board will soon consider the transit agency's multibillion-dollar capital program, including the No. 7.