City Planning Convention Center

Mayor Lindsay announced plans yesterday to build the nation's largest convention and exhibition center above the Hudson River piers between 44th and 47th Streets.

At the same time he dis closed a scaled‐down plan for a long‐awaited passenger‐ship terminal, to cost $31‐million and to be situated immediately north of the exhibition center.

In one form or another both projects have been considered and even announced before. But this time, according to Mr. Lindsay, the objectionable fea tures that stalled them in the past have been removed.

Arena Relocated

The principal change in the first project is to relocate the proposed $100‐million exhibi tion center on pilings above the Hudson instead of on an “in land” site between 10th and 11th Avenues where demolition of homes would be required.

The center, which would ac commodate major trade shows and conventions—possibly the 1976 political conventions, the Mayor said—would be built in the area now occupied by Piers 84 and 86.

Three piers between 48th and 52d Streets (Piers 88, 90 and 92) would be replaced by the new passenger terminal. Envisioned primarily as a terminal for cruise ships but also for the few remaining trans‐Atlantic services, it would have two levels, rooftop parking for 1,000 cars and six berths.

The Mayor said that legisla tion is being introduced in Al bany again this year to create a “public benefit corporation” with the power to float bonds to construct the exhibition cen ter.

With 750,000 square feet of exhibition space on two levels, the center would top Chicago's McCormick Place in show space and would have more than double the space in the Coliseum.

Related facilities on the east side of 12th Avenue would in clude a new hotel, an office structure and a 2,000‐car gar rage, connected to the center by pedestrian passageways above and below the West Side Highway.

The exhibition center would be served by the future 48th Street crosstown rapid‐transit line, which is in the Metro politan Transportation Author ity's master, plan, Under the proposal released by the Mayor, the 48th Street line would curve southward into terminus adjacent to the new center.

The future 48th Street sub way is to extend crosstown as far east as the new Second Avenue subway, where it will make a connection. It may also tie in on the western end with any future 48th Street tunnel under the Hudson to New Jer sey as proposed by various regional transportation groups.

Speaking at a crowded City Hall news conference, Mr. Lindsay said: “Building the ex hibition center on the water front, adjacent to the passenger ship terminal, not only provides a dramatic and functional set ting, but a workable solution to the major problems of the past.”

The Mayor added that “major differences” about the passenger ship terminal “have been resolved with the strong cooperation of the steamship lines, the unions and the Port Authority.”

$31‐Million Committed

Mr. Lindsay was flanked by top executives of these groups as he spoke. The city, he said, has already committed $26 million in its capital construc tion budget and the Port of New York Authority has agreed to put up $5‐million for the passenger ship terminal, which will have airconditioned lounges.

Austin J. Tobin, executive director of the Port Authority, said that his bistate agency would build the terminal within two years and then lease it from the city for 20 years.

He expressed delight that after years of discussion the negotiations had reached the point at which a lease could be submitted to the city and Federal Maritime Commission.

Construction is scheduled to start this summer on the ship terminal, the Mayor said.

John Bowers, executive vice president of the International Longshoremen's Association, said that both projects should provide more jobs for water front workers. He emphasized that the I.L.A. intended to or ganize workers at the conven tion center. There will also be a ship berth on one side of the convention center.

Robert Tisch, chairman of the New York City Convention and Visitors Bureau, reporting on the stiff competition of other cities for convention business, estimated that the new facility would generate $70‐million in new business for the city each year.

According to the Mayor the Legislature failed to act last year on setting up an exhibi tion center public corporation because the original site, bounded by 10th and 11th Ave nues and 44th and 47th Streets, was occupied by about 300 families as well as commercial buildings.

The new waterfront site re quires no relocation of families, and the Mayor said that he an ticipated no trouble.