New York: Highline

[KStay2]

AMNY had a front page piece on the highline today, pretty interesting.

[mrnyc]

i didnt see that - thx. as you can see in my pics, the park does not look anywhere near ready to open yet. i can't imagine june unless they really speed things up. here's the amny article:



High Line park coming on line, facing uncertain economy

clik to see the rendering:
http://weblogs.amny.com/entertainment/urbanite/blog/9%2520%252D%2520wildflower%2520field.JPG
Design by Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro. Courtesy of the city of New York

By Jason Fink

Even as the flatlining economy silences construction projects, one of the city’s most unusual and ambitious new developments is set to open next month: The High Line park.  Conceived in flusher times, the park — and its financial patron, the non-profit Friends of the High Line — will face the immediate challenge of raising millions of dollars for upkeep during the worst recession the city has faced in decades.

“It’s definitely difficult,” said Robert Hammond, co-founder of the Friends of the High Line. “(But) Central Park was opened in an economic tough time and has weathered many storms.”  The mile-and-a-half long park, built on a defunct elevated railroad line that cuts the center of the block between 10th and 11th avenues from 34th Street to Gansevoort, is a floating pathway of wild flowers and grass.  It’s opening will be the culmination of one of the most pitched battles in the city’s recent land use wars.

Read more at http://weblogs.amny.com/entertainment/urbanite/blog/2009/05/high_line_park_coming_on_line.html

[MyTwoSense]

I was reading that article on the way home and all I could think of is mrnyc.

[mrnyc]

and four years later we arrive at the finish line....taa daa!   




High Line to Open Tuesday, Sets Rules for Crowd Control

Thursday, June 4, 2009, by Joey


Those worried about limited accessibility to the imminently-open High Line (UPDATE: It's opening Tuesday, AMNY reports!) might just be on to something. Last night the Parks Department's High Line project administrator, Michael Bradley, laid out the park rules to Community Board 2. Daily Intel was there, and reports that there's a plan in place to limit High Line occupancy to 1,700 people at one time if things get a bit too overcrowded. And because this is the Meatpacking District, of course there's a club-like wristband policy as well:

    During peak periods, access to the facility would be limited to the southernmost entrance at Gansevoort Street and interested visitors would receive wristbands permitting admission to the park at allotted hours. Eventually, Bradley said, a live web link will allow people to check the park’s availability prior to making the trek west.

The 1,700-person limit won't be immediately enforced whenever the park decides to open, but its specter lurks just in case things get out of hand. Oh, and will all those boldface High Line supporters get VIP access? "Not unless you get a job with the Parks Department," Bradley insists. Look for gardening overalls to dot DVF's fall collection.

· High Line park to open on Tuesday [AMNY] · High Line Overcrowding: Only 1,700 Visitors at a Time? [Daily Intel]
· High Line coverage [Curbed]

3:15pm UPDATE: The latest Friends of the High Line newsletter has gone out (online here) and it confirms the June 9 date for the opening of the Gansevoort to West 20th Street section of the park. The hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and here are some other notes: "To ensure public safety during the first days and weeks that the High Line is open, visitors on the High Line will flow from south to north. Please plan on entering the park at the Gansevoort Street access point, unless you are in need of an elevator. Elevator service is available at 16th Street, with another elevator opening in July at 14th Street. You may exit the park at any of the access points (Gansevoort, 14th, 16th, 18th, and 20th Streets)."

http://curbed.com/archives/2009/06/04/high_line_to_open_tuesday_sets_rules_for_crowd_control.php#more

[mrnyc]

open at last! 


Updated 10:27 AM
High Line Park Opens To Public

By: NY1 News

The High Line Park on the West Side of Manhattan is open to the public today, one day after city leaders cut the ribbon on the first stretch to be completed.

The park was created along an abandoned rail line, and the first section runs a half mile from Gansevoort to 18th Street.

The High Line's second section, which will run up to 30th Street, is expected to open next year.

Planning will then focus on completing the third section by the West Side rail yards, between 30th and 34th Streets.

a short news video clip:
http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/100450/high-line-park-opens-to-public/Default.aspx

[mrnyc]

a grrrreat pdf of the architecture along the high line!

http://nymag.com/arts/articles/09/06/architecture090615.pdf

the article is good too:

http://nymag.com/arts/architecture/features/57176/

[mrnyc]

somebody brought it up on wired so i took a few shots of this cleared lot,
which is for the upcoming renzo piano designed downtown whitney museum.
it's right next to the high line at gansevoort street:







^ the pics are from 6/9. i was up there again the day before yesterday and there was a heck of a lot more site prep action going on.

i took these of the whitney museum model that was up at diane von furstenburgs shop
during the meatpacking district design festival last month:



finally, here is a rendering of the museum.
you can see the gansevoort st highline park section on the right.



more about it on this link:
http://www.dexigner.com/design_news/whitney-museum-unveils-design-by-renzo-piano-for-new-building.html

[UncleRando]

Lots of nice pictures with article written by David Ben...

New York's High Line
http://www.urbancincy.com/2009/06/new-yorks-high-line.html

Suspended two stories above Manhattan’s West Side lies an urban oasis, the High Line. The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation turned an unused elevated train track into the city's newest park. Originally designed in the 1930’s to elevate freight away from pedestrian traffic, the elevated tracks now serve as the foundation for a pedestrian-only park.

When the High Line’s first section opened on Tuesday, June 9, 2009, it was the first half-mile of what will ultimately be a mile and a half long park. Designed by landscape architects James Corner Field Operations and architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the park features several species of grasses, flowers, and trees that intermingle almost seamlessly at points with the concrete walkways.

Some sections include the original railroad lines embedded into the plantings as a reminder of the original function of the elevated path. Other parts use those lines as the foundation for rolling lounge chairs.

Designers also seem to have taken into account the green possibilities of managing water in the park. Drinking fountains placed intermittently allow water runoff to hydrate the plants directly. Additionally, portions of the walkway are intentionally pitched so that rainwater is redirected into the plants.

Managing water runoff accomplishes two goals. First, redirecting excess water to the plants reduces or eliminates the need for irrigation, saving water and ultimately saving the tax payer from funding the infrastructure and the maintenance cost of watering the plants. Second, diverting rainwater reduces stress on the sewer system because the water is absorbed by the dirt. From there, it is naturally filtered before it makes its way into the plants or evaporates. In the event of heavy rain, this process still works to slow the water down and filter it before it enters the sewer.

The high line demonstrates that urban livability and the outdated infrastructure need not stand in opposition. Its inception also speaks to the myriad of possibilities Cincinnati has for recreating urban vitality through re-imagining the space around us. Anyone have any ideas for Cincinnati's skywalk system, the mistake that was the 71/75 corridor bisecting downtown, or anything else around town?

[mrnyc]

^ nice writeup and pics!

the photo below from that blog link made me think of something funny i heard --

there is a joke going around that this high line park water fountain spritzes out perrier water! 

[jmecklenborg]

I took these two weeks ago:









A girl I went to school with made this video projection, this was the "opening":

[mrnyc]

nice. i love nightshots.

no doubt you found the highline unimpressive tho 

***

i got this update email yesterday --  there is good news about the northern end of the highline!





Major Milestone for the High Line's Preservation at the Rail Yards

Department of City Planning announces move toward City ownership of the High Line north of 30th Street

We just received word of an exciting development at the West Side Rail Yards. The Department of City Planning has announced that the City will initiate the process to acquire the High Line above 30th Street.

The City's decision to acquire the High Line is a major step towards achieving our ultimate goals: full preservation of the historic structure north of 30th Street, including the 10th Avenue Spur, and completion of the High Line project all the way to 34th Street.

Read the full Press Release [PDF]

To understand the importance of this advance, it's helpful to remember that the City's 2005 acquisition of the High Line south of 30th Street was a crucial step in the preservation of that section. Similarly, we expect the City's acquisition of the rail yards section to lead ultimately to park construction on the northern end of the High Line.

Thank you for all your work in helping us get this far. This would have never happened without the tireless efforts of our High Line supporters. When the current planning process for the rail yards began over three years ago, many believed that the chances of preserving the High Line were slim to none. You came out to countless public review sessions, developer presentations, and City Council hearings, spoke out, and wrote letters of support. Though there is still much work to be done before the High Line's future is secure at the rail yards, this announcement is a true victory for the High Line.

Special thanks also go to the Department of City Planning, especially Chair Amanda Burden, who has long recognized the value of the High Line to the rail yards site, to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, whose leadership reversed the City policy to demolish the entire High Line in 2002, to the City Council under the leadership of Speaker Christine Quinn, who has been at the forefront of this advocacy campaign, to United States Representative Jerrold Nadler, who has worked towards the High Line's preservation at the rail yards for decades, to Borough President Scott Stringer, State Senator Tom Duane, Assemblymember Richard Gottfried, and all of our partners at Community Board 4 and Hudson Yards Community Advisory Committee. Without the support of our elected and government leaders, the High Line's preservation at the rail yards would be an impossible dream. Thanks also to the Related Companies, the site's developer, for their recognition of the High Line's value and their work to integrate it into their plans for the site.

The process that begins with this announcement, and ends in City acquisition of the High Line above 30th Street, will likely take several months. Along the way, there will be a number of opportunities for public comment, and we will be urging our supporters to once again show up to support the High Line. You will be hearing from us in the coming weeks about these next steps. We are confident that with your continued support, our hard work will result in the full preservation of this iconic part of New York City's industrial past.

more:
http://www.thehighline.org/newsletters/101909.html

[MyTwoSense]

this is so overrated to me.

[mrnyc]

just like we cant believe you complaining about something being over-glamourized?

[mrnyc]

groovy new elevator opening on w14th st



more:
http://curbed.com/archives/2009/10/30/high_line_chooses_not_to_take_park_in_halloween_trickery.php#more

[mrnyc]

i'll have to check this out sometime 



Save the Embankment!

friends of the highline founder robert hammond sez:

““I was blown away immediately upon spotting the half-mile structure that once carried freight for the Pennsylvania Railroad.  The Embankment holds an untouched beauty, and really reminded me of the feelings I had years ago in the early days of the High Line. It’s a quick PATH ride from the High Line to Jersey City, and it’s another amazing opportunity for a great linear public space.  The Coalition project really needs support right now, so I urge you to check out their Web site to find out more and see what you can do.

The Embankment is six acres of space broken into six segments which were originally connected by metal bridges and are now separated by city streets. It runs west to east through a residential neighborhood, and ends overlooking the river, practically right across from the High Line. While the Embankment is much wider than the High Line, measuring 100 feet across, and considerably lower to the ground, the landscape is reminiscent of the High Line’s original wilderness."





http://blog.thehighline.org/2009/10/28/save-the-embankment/

http://www.embankment.org/whitesite/main2.html

[eastvillagedon]

groovy new elevator opening on w14th st



more:
http://curbed.com/archives/2009/10/30/high_line_chooses_not_to_take_park_in_halloween_trickery.php#more

how lazy are people?? there's an elevator at 16th st.!

[mrnyc]

my understanding is these are supported through deals with the developers near those exits, in this case the highline office building being redeveloped there on w14th. the caledonia apt developers built in the elevator at w16th. so these are amenities if you work or live right there, just like office building connections to the subway system used to be.

not to mention, there are handicapped people and families w/strollers who like to use the park too. not being in those boats, thankfully, i usually just go up the 'slow stairs' at gansevoort st.

[jmecklenborg]

So are they going to connect these embankment sections or what?

This thing has a date with the wrecking ball in Cincinnati in the next 10-20 years...I've already talked with people about building the new viaduct a block north, returning rail to this one, and leaving the rest to bikes/pedestrians:

[dmerkow]

Bald Knob. Glad that name disappeared.

[jmecklenborg]

Look at that wooden viaduct rising from beneath the viaduct...that's the reason why the lower deck was built as high as it is and the reason why the lower deck survived the onset of the double-stack era. If you look at the Hopple St. viaduct, it's obvious that the deck was removed at some point and rebuilt on higher piers.  Also, streetcars ran on the lower deck of the viaduct and those two cool tunnel portals are still there, but one is closed and used for storing orange barrels and the like.   

[Ram23]

Bald Knob. Glad that name disappeared.

Ha, I still call it Bald Knob.  Home of the Hamilton County Emergency Response & Communications Center: