A few days ago, we visited the High Line, one of New York’s most popular new attractions, to see what the buzz was all about. What a great experience.
The High Line was built in the industrial West Side of New York in the 1930s to transport freight traffic 10m in the air above the buildings. Previously, the area had been known as ‘Death Alley’ because of the frequent collisions between cars and trains. The last train, carrying a load of frozen turkeys, ran on the High Line in 1980.
In 1999, the Friends of the High Line was formed to campaign against the demolition of the historic structure. In 2002, the City of New York agreed that the High Line could be put to a different use. In 2003, 720 teams from 36 countries participated in a competition to find an innovative solution. The winning idea was for an elevated public park/ walkway. The first phase of the project was completed in June 2009 and opened to the public. In less than a year, an estimated 2m people have visited what is fast becoming one of New York’s main attractions.
The High Line is one of the best public space projects I have come across, mainly because it is driven by a passionate community. Over 70% of operating funding, for example, is provided by the Friends of the High Line, which maintains the park under a license agreement with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.
For the full history and description of the project, have a look at the highly informative High Line website
The High Line above the Chelsea Market on W15th Street
According to the informative High Line brochure, the landscape has been designed to echo the wild, selfseeded grasses that grew up on the structure after the trains had stopped running. Despite the fact that the plants were just emerging from winter hibernation, we could get a good sense of what they would look like in mid-summer
The High Line provides great views of the buildings of midtown New York and the Hudson River
Phase Two under construction. When all sections are complete, the High Line will be a 2.5km-long elevated park, running through the West Side neighbourhoods of the Meatpacking District, West Chelsea and Clinton/Hell's Kitchen.
The High Line is fast becoming a major site of public art in New York. The latest piece to debut is by artist Valerie Hegarty, entitled Autumn on the Hudson Valley with Branches.
Loungers add a nice touch to a section of the High Line
The High Line from the top of the Empire State Building
I can see some great ideas emerging for our landmark ‘Road to Nowhere’ highways in Cape Town.
My first reference to the High Line was upon discovery of an article in a design magazine. Thank you for elaborating.
Did you know that old railway lines in Japan are converted into cycle tracks?
I’ve always enjoyed the Paris version – Promenade Plantée – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promenade_plant%C3%A9e
Thanks Gules, I didn’t know about the Promenade Plantée. And there I was thinking that the New Yorkers were the first…
Thanks Karen. I don’t know about the Japanese conversion of railway lines into cycle tracks – do you have a reference? And yes, I’m definitely agitating for us to be able to use the unfinished portions of our own Cape Town freeways, even on a temporary basis. For example, the one near the corner of Lower Buitengracht and the Western Boulevard would make a wonderful cityscape and Table Mountain viewing platform. It would create a new urban experience and could even bring in some revenue for the city