Pennsylvania Station was a historic railroad station, named for the Pennsylvania Railroad, its builder and original tenant, and shared its name with several stations in other cities. It was designed by McKim, Mead, and White and completed in 1910. The original Pennsylvania Station was considered a masterpiece of the Beaux-Arts style and one of the architectural jewels of New York City. Occupying two city blocks from Seventh Avenue to Eighth Avenue and from 31st to 33rd Streets, the original Pennsylvania Station building was 784 by 430 feet, covering an area of 8 acres. As rail usage declined in the 1950s, the Pennsylvania Railroad sold the air rights to the property and downsized the railroad station. The above ground head house and train shed of the station were demolished and replaced by Madison Square Garden and Pennsylvania Plaza between 1963 and 1969. The destruction of Pennsylvania Station galvanized support for architectural preservation across the United States, leading to the advent of modern historical preservation.