November 22, 200618 yr ^ yeah, those plastic owls are up all over the place. they keep the pidgeons away. For serious? I thought it was jsut a poor decoration choice.
November 23, 200618 yr Mrnyc: So what's the issue with the end at the rail yards? Do they want to just take 'em down for development? And preservationists want to keep all of it?
November 23, 200618 yr ^ bhg that's it exactly. as of now there are a variety of development plans floating around for the westside railyard since the stadium thing went bust. so good news is nothing is set in stone. hopefully the city & developers will find a way to incorporate that section of the highline. i was shocked it is even in question, i had thought the whole thing was protected. i'll keep an eye out for follow-up information. ^ yeah, those plastic owls are up all over the place. they keep the pidgeons away. For serious? I thought it was jsut a poor decoration choice. believe it or not those owl things really do work to scare the pidgeons away from ledges. i see spikes around sometimes too, so funny as it looks for sure an owl is more humane than that.
November 30, 200618 yr dia is out, whitney is in: Whitney’s Expansion Plans Are Shifting South, to the Meatpacking District By CAROL VOGEL Published: November 28, 2006 A month after the Dia Art Foundation scrapped its plans to open a museum at the entrance to the High Line, the abandoned elevated railway line that the city is transforming into a public park, the Whitney Museum of American Art has signed on to take its place and build a satellite institution of its own downtown. The New York Times Whitney Museum is planning a branch at the High Line park. The Whitney recently reached a conditional agreement on Wednesday night with the city’s Economic Development Corporation to buy the city-owned site, at Gansevoort and Washington streets, officials at the museum said yesterday. Plans call for the new museum to be at least twice the size of the Whitney’s home on Madison Avenue at 75th Street, they said, and to be finished within the next five years. The deal, which has still to go through a public review process before it is final, puts an end to the Whitney’s plan to for a nine-story addition by the architect Renzo Piano that would connect to the museum’s original 1966 Marcel Breuer building via a series of glass bridges. It will be the third time in 11 years that the museum has commissioned a celebrity architect to design a major expansion to its landmark building, only to pull out. “This is a more prudent step to take,” Leonard A. Lauder, chairman of the Whitney’s board, said by telephone yesterday. “Yet it is an adventurous step. We think the new site will have a big enough impact so that it will become a destination.” The museum’s director, Adam D. Weinberg, said the new museum would not only offer more gallery space but would also be less expensive. “We know it will be cheaper per square foot than uptown, but we don’t know what it will cost,” he said. (The uptown expansion was expected to cost more than $200 million.) Mr. Piano has agreed to design the new museum. Although no architectural plans have been drawn up, the future museum is loosely estimated to afford at least 200,000 square feet. Kate D. Levin, the city’s cultural affairs commissioner, called the agreement “a wonderful moment” but cautioned, “It is a preliminary moment.” If all goes as planned, she said, “it will let a museum grow and flourish” as well as provide an anchor to the city’s High Line project. In addition to attracting a broader audience, having a site downtown will allow the museum space to build larger galleries without the constraints of building in a historic district. Sweeping galleries are generally needed to show much of the latest art being produced today. Compared with around 65,000 square feet of gallery space in the uptown Piano addition, the High Line site will have about 100,000 to 150,000 square feet of gallery space, Mr. Weinberg said. The current Breuer building has some 30,000 square feet. Mr. Lauder said: “The key word here is footprint. We will be able to stage shows horizontally rather than vertically.” Previous uptown expansions jettisoned by the Whitney include a $37 million addition by Michael Graves canceled in 1985 and a $200 million design by Rem Koolhaas scrapped in 2003. Mr. Piano’s project met with heated opposition from preservationists who objected to the elimination of brownstone facades on Madison Avenue, part of the Upper East Side Historic District. After the Whitney agreed to maintain that facade, the project was approved in July by the city’s Board of Standards. In addition to a second site the Whitney is also planning to upgrade the Breuer building significantly, with improvements like new, double-glazed windows and a better climate control system, Mr. Lauder said. “The Breuer building is now 40 years old, and a lot of technology has happened since it was built,” Mr. Lauder said. “It is our iconic building, and we are planning to put a lot of money into it.” While he said it was too early to say just how much “a lot” is, he estimated the cost of refurbishing the building at $20 million to $40 million. While taking note of the creation of dual-site museums like the Tate in London and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, Mr. Weinberg said the Whitney was hoping to invent a model of its own. “We are envisioning both sites will show contemporary and historic art,” he said. The Whitney will continue to devote itself to American art, he said, but “it will be American art in the broadest sense seen within an international context.” In addition to providing room to spread out, he added, the downtown space will allow the museum to keep adding to its collection. Mr. Weinberg said the museum intended to strengthen its performing arts, education and film programs, which will all be based downtown. While Dia had planned to lease the downtown site from the city, the Whitney’s deal calls for buying 820 Washington Street and 555 West Street, abandoned shell structures adjacent to each another. The city will charge the Whitney roughly half the appraised value of the two buildings, said Jan Rothschild, a spokeswoman for the Whitney. “We like the character and the grittiness of the neighborhood,” Mr. Weinberg said of the meatpacking district. “We want to keep the museum as low as possible.” Plans call for about 15,000 square feet of meat market space as well as offices for the High Line in the complex. Rather than dwell on the death blow to the Piano addition, Whitney officials sought to portray the move as a homecoming of sorts. The institution, which began in Greenwich Village in 1918 as the Whitney Studio Club, became the Whitney Museum in 1931. “We’re returning to our roots,” Mr. Weinberg said. “So much of the first half of our collection was made around 14th Street and below, and so many artists whose works we have live within a 20-block radius. We see this as reconnecting with the artists’ community.”
December 9, 200618 yr some fhl meeting follow-up news: Cultural Capital 12/ 8/065:06 PM The High Line, Suddenly Not as High? Image: SHoP Architects Not that it's any big surprise at this point — after secret sets of books, and floated-and-then-retracted fare hikes, and all that — but the MTA might be up to something a little shady again. While everyone's busy being excited about the redevelopment of the High Line, it turns out the MTA has been whispering to developers looking at its West Side yards — where Bloomberg wanted to build a Jets stadium, and which contain 31 percent of the elevated rail tracks — that a purchaser might be able to dismantle at least part of the Line. (You know, so building could start faster.) Last night, Friends of the High Line rallied its base in a meeting at Chelsea Market to protest this news and presented the case that maintaining the High Line on the MTA property would actually make it more attractive to developers, and thus more lucrative to the MTA. To that end, Friends of the High Line — with partial funding from developers with projects elsewhere along the structure — offered this sketch, from the Chelsea firm SHoP Architects, of what a redeveloped MTA yard would look like with the High Line still intact up there. Pretty, ain't it? —Alec Appelbaum http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2006/12/the_high_line_suddenly_not_as_1.html
January 11, 200718 yr highline gets a city park manager: City Names Trump Vet High Line Chief The park of Michael Bradley's dreams. The High Line’s supporters — from celeb friends like Edward Norton to City Hall backers like Dan Doctoroff — always say the elevated rail trestle will feel like a dream park. And now the city's Parks Department has bestowed the dream job of managing the High Line on veteran park planner Michael Bradley. Bradley, 48, previously shepherded design and greenspace commitments at Riverside South, which Donald Trump built on the Upper West Side in the nineties. That job prepared him for the new gig indirectly: Bradley organized the $30,000 purchase of a dead locomotive that kids now play on in his old park. The new gig, however, involves heavier challenges. Bradley’s job description includes surmounting engineering challenges (like installing “a waterproofing, drainage, and irrigation system,” according to the job description) and executing political pirouettes (like fund-raising and ensuring that developers whose buildings touch the High Line provide public access and lavatories and such). He’s also got a wardrobe to consider. “I’ve been thinking I need to get a windbreaker,” he says, disclosing that the Line's logo will combine Parks’ maple leaf with Friends of the High Line’s stylized H. Then there’s working up “criteria for potential connections from adjacent properties” — which means deflating rumors that swanky condos on the Line will enjoy exclusive access. The Caledonia, at 16th Street and Tenth Avenue, is designing a publicly accessible stair and elevator to show how a luxury condo can touch the park without stiff-arming the public. How un-Donald is that? —Alec Appelbaum http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2007/01/city_names_trump_vet_high_line_1.html
February 2, 200718 yr i got another fhl update today. ***things are moving along: section of the High Line after sandblasting, showing the primer coat of paint A cherry picker lifts workers onto the structure during painting Rusted steel with original paint(left) and the new paint color (right) The structure painted its final color at 17th Street Site Preparation construction on the High Line is moving forward on schedule. Approximately half of Section 1 has been sandblasted and painted with a primer coat (blue-gray color). Once the entire Section 1 has been primed, and steel and concrete repairs have been made, crews will return to apply the intermediate and final coats. The final coat (gray-black color) has been applied on one block (17th-18th Streets), so we can now begin to see what the rehabilitated and restored High Line will look like. In addition to the sandblasting and painting, the Site Prep work includes repairs to steel and concrete. For example, concrete has been removed from the bases of many of the columns, and rusted rivets have been removed and replaced. Other work involves the installation of a new underside drainage system, and installation of bird deterrents—a simple sloped piece of metal that prevents birds from roosting. The Site Prep contract will be complete this summer, to be followed by the construction of the new park landscape and access points. ***this part was about the effort to save the northernmost railyards section: HIGH LINE AT THE RAIL YARDS: AN UPDATE The effort to save the High Line at the West Side Rail Yards continues. On December 7, FHL hosted a community forum at Chelsea Market, attended by over 200 people, to raise awareness of the issue and gather public opinion. The forum included a presentation of the civic and economic benefits offered by the High Line at the rail yards. Some of the reasons why preservation of the High Line should be mandated as part of the development of the rail yards: • The rail yards section represents 31% of the total High Line. • The High Line is a critical link in the open space network connecting Hudson River Park and the neighborhoods of the West Side. • The High Line is an invaluable historic resource. The lesson of Penn Station is only two blocks away and should not be repeated. • The High Line will provide the new neighborhood with character and identity that will anchor it to its specific place and history. • The High Line adds real value to the rail yards site, which is owned by the MTA. It would be bad fiscal policy on the part of the State to permit its demolition. Forum attendees were overwhelmingly supportive of preservation, and the vast majority of them were shocked at the possibility of demolition: • "The High Line is the most vital park and real estate project to have occurred in New York in several years. Preserving the High Line preserves the history and character of the West Side." • "It will be a historic bridge—both figuratively to the past, and literally to the river." • The High Line at the rail yards has an "iconic beauty." In reaction to the idea that the High Line could be replaced by a new elevated structure: • "BAD IDEA." • "The High Line, not the Faux Line." • "Unthinkable!" • "This would ruin one of the best aspects of the High Line, which is its authenticity and integrity." • "It completely devalues the power and history of the High Line." The risk of demolition, however, is real, and your support in our fight for preservation is of critical importance. FHL is continuing to work with all decision-makers and stakeholders (City, State, elected officials, community leaders) to raise awareness of the importance of the High Line in this location. Your support in this effort will be critical in the coming months as these discussions continue. The rail yards study is made possibly by the A.G. Foundation, the Greenacre Foundation, the Leon Levy Foundation, and Donald Pels and Wendy Keys. Addtional support comes from Douglaston Development, Extell Development Corp., the Georgetown Company, and the Related Companies. ***and finally this positive blurb about it from the nypost: RAIL SHOT AT PROSPERITY HIGH LINE PLAN A $174M BOOST By TOM TOPOUSIS December 8, 2006 -- The future of the far West Side could get a big boost from an aging rail trestle that has already lifted the fortunes - and the property values - of Chelsea and the Meatpacking District. Friends of the High Line last night unveiled a study that claims using the steel trestle's northern section in a proposed redevelopment of the West Side rail yards would generate an extra $174 million for the city and MTA. "There's a possibility it could be torn down by the redevelopment of the yards," said Joshua David, co-founder of the group, which successfully saved the southern section of the rail trestle running from 30th Street to Gansevoort Street. It will be converted into a park. A section of the elevated structure north of 30th Street is not part of any preservation plan, he said. The unprotected section of trestle runs along West 30th Street, from 10th to 12th Avenues, and north on 12th Avenue to 34th Street. Rather than tearing down the trestle, Robert Hammond, also a co-founder of Friends of the High Line, said saving the structure could link all the ambitious projects slated for the far West Side district now called the Hudson Yards. http://www.nypost.com/seven/12082006/news/regionalnews/rail_shot_at_prosperity_regionalnews_tom_topousis.htm
February 2, 200718 yr WOW...what a difference some sand blasting and painting can do!! I can only imagine what it will be like when it is full of plants and activity!
February 13, 200718 yr I ran across this. Thought it was funny. http://fagats.blogspot.com/2007/02/with-diane-von-furstenberg-involved-you.html
March 6, 200718 yr another fhl update came. some news about the new meatpacking nabe hotel going up right next to it + pic below: Q+A: HOTEL CONSTRUCTION ON WASHINGTON STREET Some of you have asked us questions about the construction site at Washington Street, between Little West 12th Street and West 13th Street. Q: Is this construction part of the High Line's transformation? A: No, it's the start of a new hotel being developed by André Balazs, called The Standard. Q: Will the hotel bridge over the High Line? A: Yes, it will bridge over the High Line structure and its easement. But the space on the High Line underneath the hotel's bridge will remain open to the public, under the jurisdiction of the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation. Q: What allows this to happen? A: When the High Line was built in the 1930s, it was designed to connect to buildings and to pass through building interiors. A 30-foot-high "box easement" had to be left for the trains to pass through. These connections and pass-throughs allowed trains to load and unload directly into warehouses and factories. You can see historic examples of this condition at Chelsea Market (between 15th and 16th Streets) and the former Cudahy meatpacking plant, on 14th Street. Q: Can the High Line be bridged at any site up and down the Line? A: No, bridging over the easement is forbidden north of 16th Street. This restriction was established as part of the 2005 rezoning of West Chelsea, which included numerous provisions to support the reuse of the High Line. South of 16th Street, the pre-existing manufacturing zoning remains, and thus bridging over the structure is still allowed. But the hotel site is the only privately owned site left south of 16th Street that is configured in a manner to allow this kind of construction to occur. Q: How does Friends of the High Line feel about the High Line being bridged? A: The High Line's interactions with surrounding buildings have always been one of its most interesting qualities. When the High Line opens to the public, the fact that the park will pass through building interiors will be one of its compelling attributes, differentiating it both from other City parks and other rail-banked trails, which generally run through rural areas. The pass-throughs at Chelsea Market and the Cudahy building are among our favorite spots on the Line. This kind of connectivity to the surrounding built environment will add interest and excitement to the new park, but we would not want to see the High Line bridged over at every site up and down the Line. Thus we are pleased that the West Chelsea rezoning forbids it north of 16th Street and that no other private sites remain south of 16th Street where the High Line can be bridged.
March 6, 200718 yr ^ after rooting around i found out on wiredny that this hotel has been resdesigned from the earlier renderings. it will still straddle the highline tho. here is a nytimes article with the new rendering: Polshek Partnership Polshek Partnership’s project for a Standard Hotel. A preliminary design for the garden, with one of its public stairways; above far right, Neil Denari’s cantilevered apartment house design.
March 23, 200718 yr Friday Reader Rant #2: Caledonia Can't Stop, Won't Stop Friday, March 23, 2007, by Lockhart We've already seen new Chelsea development The Caledonia swallow the view of one Curbed reader (if you doubt how big this place really is, look again at the rendering at right and note the microscopic High Line at its base). Now it's time for a rant from another reader, this time to the south of the Big C: The Caledonia’s optical rape continues. For years our north-facing offices in the Chelsea Market have had great unobstructed views of the river and West Chelsea. Now all we get is the never-ending building that keeps climbing and climbing. I mean, they’re only on a floor in the mid-teens and already this monstrosity is towering over everything in its wake. I feel especially bad for the building to the immediate right of the Caledonia on 16th street. A couple of years ago they spent beaucoup bucks putting on a gorgeous roof garden (we stare at it in envy every summer) and now it's completely surrounded and boxed in by the Caledonia. So much for that great unobstructed view of the river in the summer. · There Goes My View: Caledonia Edition · Development Du Jour: The Caladonia [Curbed] BONUS: A peppy Villager update on High Line construction notes that despite the decision that the public must have free use of the 16th Street stairs, The Caledonia will enjoy its own connection to that stairwell. [The Villager] http://www.curbed.com/archives/2007/03/23/friday_reader_rant_2_caledonia_cant_stop_wont_stop.php
March 23, 200718 yr If part of the High Line opens in Summer 2008 . . . I believe a trip to New York City in Fall 2008 is in order. The perfect excuse to finally make a return and longer trip.
March 26, 200718 yr why wait? come out here this may. the highline festival is curated by david bowie: link: http://www.highlinefestival.com/home.php THE HIGH LINE FESTIVAL The H&M High Line Festival is a new multi-discipline arts festival that will be curated each year by a different artist. The inaugural edition, curated by David Bowie, will run May 9 to 19, 2007. The ten-day mash-up of music, film, comedy, visual art and performance will highlight all of David's favorite artists. The best of the best. The inaugural 10-day festival will take place in venues near the High Line, the elevated rail structure soon to open as a public open space, running through the Meatpacking District, West Chelsea and Clinton/HellÕs Kitchen. A portion of each ticket sale will go to benefit Friends of the High Line, the 501©3 organization currently working with the City of New York to transform the 1930Õs rail structure into a park, set to open in 2008. Please Note: none of the events of the High Line Festival will take place on the High Line itself. ********************************************************************************* MUSIC May 9th ARCADE FIRE Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Avenue of the Americas, 8:00pm. May 10th AIR Theatre at Madison Square Garden, 4 Penn Plaza, 8:00pm. May 11th THE POLYPHONIC SPREE Hammerstein Ballroom, 311 West 34th Street, 8:00pm. May 15th DEERHOOF Irving Plaza, 17 Irving Place, 8:00pm. May 16th DANIEL JOHNSTON, BANG ON A CAN ALL STARS, THE LEGENDARY STARDUST COWBOY High Line Ballroom, 431 West 16th Street, 8:00 pm. May 19th THE SECRET MACHINES High Line Ballroom, 431 West 16th Street, 8:00pm. back to topCOMEDY May 19th RICKY GERVAIS Theatre at Madison Square Garden, 4 Penn Plaza, 8pm. Presented by JetBlue Airways. back to topPERFORMANCE May 16th & 17th KEN NORDINE The Kitchen, 512 West 19th Street, 8:00pm. May 17th & 18th LAURIE ANDERSON High Line Ballroom, 431 West 16th Street, 7:30 pm. May 18th MEOW MEOW INCITED BY JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL Hiro Ballroom, 371 West 16th Street, 7:30pm. back to topVISUAL ART CLAUDE CAHUN PUBLIC ART EXHIBITION, Featuring Photography from Jersey Heritage Trust & Panel Discussion at Aperture, Under The High Line LAURIE MCLEOD WATERHAVEN UNDERWATER FILMS, High Line District back to topFILM May 11th - 18th BOWIE'S PICKS, 10 Spanish Language Classics of the Last 100 Years, Clearview Chelsea Cinemas, 260 West 23rd Street. Show times TBA
March 27, 200718 yr If part of the High Line opens in Summer 2008 . . . I believe a trip to New York City in Fall 2008 is in order. The perfect excuse to finally make a return and longer trip. I do believe that I will have to make the same voyage!
March 30, 200718 yr the highline gets a space for shows: the new HIGHLINE BALLROOM -- LOU REED playing LOU REED TO PERFORM THE GRAND OPENING OF THE HIGHLINE BALLROOM APRIL 30TH The HighLine Ballroom, a new performance space inspired by the High Line Park, located in the meat packing district on 16th Street (between 9th & 10th Aves), will open April 30th with a special performance by Lou Reed featuring Mike Rathke on guitar and Jane Scarpantoni on cello. A limited number of tickets will be sold to the public for the HighLine Ballroom opening night performance by Lou Reed and will cost $85. Well, that answers the main question I had - the Highline Ballroom DOES have something to do with the High Line Park. We also already know that some of the performances for the David Bowie-curated High Line Festival (which benefits the High Line Park) are taking place in the Highline Ballroom. That includes the two shows by Laurie Anderson (who happens to be married to Lou Reed) (and who is separately being honored by Lou Reed, David Bowie, David Byrne and others to benefit the Kitchen). The NY Post answers some other questions: The Highline Ballroom is owned by the family that owns BB King Blues Club & Grill and the Blue Note. The nightclub will take over the 10,000-foot spot formerly occupied by Glo and Powder. It's a terrific domed space with no columns and great sightlines The rent for the 15-year deal starts around $30 a foot. That's a photo (to the right) of what the club used to look like, and what it looks like now. I found that at Curbed. Tickets are on sale, sold out, or will be on sale for the following upcoming shows.... Apr 30 - Lou Reed (see above) May 01 - Jonatha Brooke May 02 - Moe May 03 - Moe (sold out) May 04 - Moe (sold out) May 05 - Moe (sold out) May 06 - Moenia May 07 - Meshell Ndegeocello May 08 - Amy Winehouse (sold out) May 09 - Amy Winehouse (sold out) Continued below.... May 10 - Girlyman May 11 - Andy Smith & Kid Beyond May 12 - The Greyboy Allstars May 13 - The Greyboy Allstars May 14 - Pharaoh's Daughter May 15 - Spank Rock (info) May 16 - Daniel Johnston / Bang On A Can / The Legendary Stardust Cowboy (High Line) May 17 - Laurie Anderson (High Line) May 18 - Talib Kweli (info) May 18 - Laurie Anderson (High Line) May 19 - Secret Machines (High Line) May 20 - Joey Belladonna (from Anthrax!) May 24 - The Disco Biscuits (sold out) May 25 - The Disco Biscuits (sold out) May 26 - Mos Def - Black Radio (info) May 31 - Jazz Mandolin Project Jun 22 - Forro In The Dark / Miho Hatori (will David Byrne be there?) Jun 27 - Ojos De Brujo Jun 28 - Ojos De Brujo Jun 30 - The Bad Plus (early and late) Aug 07 - Rebirth Brass Band Sep 09 - Epica plus Visions of Atlantis Oct 28 - Prong
March 30, 200718 yr Old Lou selling out...actually just last night I heard "Sweet Jane" playing on an empty bar patio while walking past, made me think of what an obscure figure he remains. Especially after walking past a packed bar playing inane rap music a block later...
April 4, 200718 yr Perspective: A tale of two railways For an old, elevated railroad, possibilities abound By: Evan Goldin Posted: 4/3/07 Standing outside on a cold March morning, Joshua David sees the results of eight years of labor. When it isn't raining, Bobcat loaders pound away at concrete, hauling away gravel ballast and piles of railroad tracks. The gentle whir of sandblasting against dull steel usually penetrates the air. The work has left little but a gray, bathtub-shaped viaduct for David to glimpse from his perch. For the 1984 College graduate, his dream of turning a 1.45 mile long, elevated railroad track into a park that winds and twists its way, 30 feet in the air, through the west side of Manhattan will finally come to fruition in mid-2008. Read more at http://www.dailypennsylvanian.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticlePrinterFriendly&uStory_id=923ab7f8-bda1-47ee-8913-98d949430547
April 23, 200718 yr here's a cool pic i found of them pouring concrete up there. looks like 18th st i think. i took some pics too last weekend i'll put'em up asap:
May 9, 200718 yr speaking of the threat of tearing down the north end of the highline to develop the hudson railyards, this is the plan for what will go onto the railyards. basically....a mushed-up chicago: The Return of Hudson Yards, Continued Wednesday, May 9, 2007, by Robert -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The process of turning the Hudson Yards site on the Far West Side into something else continues. Last night, there was a meeting to present design and other guidelines for the 26-acre parcel that would have been the site of the failed West Side Stadium. The MTA, which owns the property is looking for $1 billion, give or take, from the sale of property. The north end of the site will be used for residential and commercial buildings. The south end will be residential. Building could go up to 60 stories. There will be significant open space in the middle and priority will go to saving the southern section of the High Line on the site. All the details make our brains explode, but you can read a lot more here, here and here, along with some renderings scored by Daily Intel, here. And, we expect to be writing versions of this post for the next two years, at least. · Hudson Yards guidelines set stage for new fight [TRD] · What Might the Far West Side Look Like? [Daily Intel] · Hudson Yards Development Corp. [hydc.org] · Hudson Yards Update: Plans on the Way? [Curbed] Reader Comments (4 extant) 1. HOW ABOUT A PARK? By Sigerson at May 9, 2007 11:48 AM2. ^ That green stuff between the buildings acts like a park. By Anonymous at May 9, 2007 12:13 PM3. Why the height limits? New York needs to build tall buildings somewhere. Build them there. By GrandPa at May 9, 2007 12:20 PM4. When this is done it will further expose what a ripoff the Doctoroff-Jets inside deal was. Thanks again, Sheldon. By Oldmark at May 9, 2007 2:11 PM http://www.curbed.com/archives/2007/05/09/the_return_of_hudson_yards_continued.php
June 20, 200717 yr some blogger just went up there and walked it with his camera. this is an awesome photo thread of the highline: http://www.citynoise.org/article/6957
July 10, 200717 yr some blogger just went up there and walked it with his camera. this is an awesome photo thread of the highline: http://www.citynoise.org/article/6957 That is quite nice...can't wait to see a finished product!
November 9, 200717 yr The Highline is really the perfect project for NYC, it adds something of need (parks) without taking up space that can be occupied by buildings.
November 9, 200717 yr with the thanksgiving day holiday coming up fast i noticed this little highline factoid that fits right in with the season: "The last train to use that (the highline) was back in 1981 when a load of Thanksgiving turkeys were delivered."
November 12, 200717 yr nice summary in the nypost (and something for cle mayor frank jackson to think about rather than allowing the tearing down of interesting old warehouses :whip:): IT'S ONE EL OF A PARK NEIGHBORHOOD'S ON THE FA$T TRACK By TOM TOPOUSIS November 12, 2007 -- The High Line may be the city's newest jewel - and for Manhattan developers, the rusting rail trestle has been pure gold. From the Meatpacking District north through West Chelsea, the cachet of a park in the sky has sparked an estimated $900 million in new residential and commercial development in the city's hottest neighborhood. :-o At least 30 new projects - including 10 already under construction - are on tap in the neighborhood between 10th Avenue and the Hudson River. Also propelling the building boom has been the city's move two years ago to allow new residential and commercial development in what had been largely an area for manufacturing and warehousing. Read more at http://www.nypost.com/seven/11122007/news/regionalnews/its_one_el_of_a_park_1469.htm
November 18, 200717 yr i had missed this great news -- a new tower may be a big force in saving the endangered northern end of the highline. there is a video link of an interview w/ architect steven holl on the pbs charlie rose show below too :clap: Holl's Towering S Update: 'A Great Piece of Hope' Wednesday, July 25, 2007, by Lockhart -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The website for the Charlie Rose Show has posted the interview with architect Steven Holl in which he first reveals plans for his Towering S skyscraper planned for the 30th Street spur of the High Line. (Two crispy fresh screengrabs above.) In the interview, Holl relates that the sway of the building is inspired by the High Line: "The idea is taking the movement of the High Line and moving it vertical so it picks up the western sun." And to our conclusion that the planned bridge to the High Line bodes well for the survival of the upper third of the elevated track, Holl is somewhat more circumspect: "This is a great piece of hope to save the north spur." · Conversation with Architect Steven Holl [CharlieRose.com] · Steven Holl's Towering S Revealed! [Curbed] http://curbed.com/archives/2007/07/25/holls_towering_s_update_a_great_piece_of_hope.php Whoa. Here's the architectural reveal of the month: Steven Holl's towering residential/hotel tower that's being developed by Extell on Tenth Avenue between 30th and 31st Streets, across the street from the Hudson Rail Yards. Holl disclosed his involvement in this project on the Charlie Rose Show Monday night, and showed off some early renderings of the tower and the plan to build a bridge to connect it to the 30th Street spur of the High Line. Per CityRealty, "The rendering seemed to indicate that it would be more than 50 stories tall and that it would rise in three major setbacks and that the silhouette of the slender tower would somewhat resemble an elongated, angled 'S.'" Hard to get a sense of the S in the rendering above, but screengrabs from an alert member of Wired New York shows the sway. Early verdict: pretty damn awesome. The more interesting angle, though, concerns the High Line. The 30th Street spur juts off the Hudson Yards portion of the raised train tracks (good photos of the spur here). That makes it part of the upper third of the High Line, the portion that Friends of the High Line says isn't yet guaranteed to survive the Hudson Yards redevelopment process. Yet Extell now says they're going to invest $2 million in a bridge from Holl's tower to the 30th Street spur—pretty good evidence, one might conclude, that the upper third of the High Line's going to survive the redevelopment around it just fine.· New Extell mixed-use tower [Wired New York] · Steven Holl designs major mixed-use tower on Tenth Avenue [CityRealty] http://www.curbed.com/archives/2007/07/25/steven_holls_towering_s_revealed.php
December 19, 200717 yr a fresh look at the south end today on curbed blog: High Line Construction Chronicles: Step into the Standard Wednesday, December 19, 2007, by Joey -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Starting next fall, Andre Balazs' upside-down hotel/social hub will have thousands of tourists, park-lovers and curious onlookers streaming under it on a daily basis. In early November, Curbed Photo Pool contributor NYCviaRachel got an early peek at what those people will see. Behold, the Standard Hotel, as seen from the High Line! Both still works in progress, but enough to get the pulse racing. Actually, the whole set of photos from the High Line tour is really cool, especially the shots of all the graffiti and assorted weirdness along the elevated path. Important Standard Hotel fact: as of now, Andre Balazs has not worked it out with the city to have an entrance to the park from the hotel. Repeat: no High Line entrance for the Standard Hotel. Andre, cut the necessary checks and get this sorted out, mmk? http://curbed.com/archives/2007/12/19/high_line_construction_chronicles_step_into_the_standard.php#more
December 20, 200717 yr mrnyc: Is the Highline still on schedule for Phase I complete this summer/fall?
January 25, 200817 yr great pic -- almost all glassed up now -- and look the railroad tracks are back :clap: Construction Watch: The Standard Welcoming Voyeurs Thursday, January 24, 2008, by Joey In terms of triumphs of humanity, the order is as such: 1) moon landing 2) the pyramids 3) E=mc2 4) the Standard Hotel 5) the four-minute mile. So we were trying to think of the best way to present the earth-shattering news that the website for Andre Balazs' High Line hotel has been updated with a construction photo that AUTOMATICALLY REFRESHES EVERY 15 MINUTES, but then we just showed the site to the most obsessed person we know, and he replied, "Sometimes, I wonder if we deserve the Standard." We'll leave it at that. · The Standard [Official Site] · Standard Threatening High Line with Raining Debris? [Curbed] · High Line Construction Chronicles: Step into the Standard [Curbed] http://curbed.com/archives/2008/01/24/construction_watch_the_standard_welcoming_voyeurs.php#comment-errors#comment-40309
January 31, 200817 yr fhl has a "railyards blog" to keep tabs on the northern section of the highline and all the related hudson railyards development. they are spotlighting the various bids so far. first up is tischman-speyer's plan: more info about that bid here: http://railyardsblog.wordpress.com/2008/01/31/better-know-a-developer-tishman-speyer-2/
February 10, 200817 yr here's the next railyards developer installment. this one is extell development company's idea: more background and info here: http://railyardsblog.wordpress.com/2008/02/09/better-know-a-developer-extell-development-company/
February 11, 200817 yr from the new fhl blog: http://friendsofthehighline.wordpress.com/ concrete pads arrive for the plantings on the deck installation up on the deck
February 11, 200817 yr Looks like the Highline work is moving along. That Standard Hotel being built over the tracks is great!
February 11, 200817 yr mrnyc, I swear, you better be saving for a big place in this joint. You've done more PR for this project than the development team. I would ask for a place with a big price reduction!
February 12, 200817 yr I love this project...what a perfect way to inject some new greenspace into Manhattan.
February 13, 200817 yr hmmm...interesting. the throwing of money at the hudson railyards has begun. hopefully this kind of buying and selling and development helps preserve the highline up there. Last updated: February 12, 2008 11:15am Hotelier Buys Hudson Yards Site for $24M By Natalie Dolce NEW YORK CITY-A prime development site located in the heart of the Hudson Yards rezoning initiative at 435 W. 33rd St. on the west side of Manhattan was sold by locally based Darren Hornig of Saxa Inc. A source close to the deal tells GlobeSt.com that although the buyer is confidential, they are a Long Island hotelier and purchased the property in an all-cash transaction for $24 million. The 75-foot-wide property is located on the north side of West 33rd Street between Ninth and 10th avenues. Utilizing the District Improvement Bonus, the property has a potential 96,281 buildable sf as the new zoning codes of the Hudson Yards District allow a developer to purchase approximately 22,219 sf of air rights from the city. Read more at http://www.globest.com/news/1092_1092/newyork/168213-1.html?st=rss
February 14, 200817 yr Not to be a Debbie Downer here, but I'm not really a fan of this project. I think light rail would be a much better use, especially given the void of other rail transportation in that part of Manhattan. Also, I think it is too long and isolated...It doesn't seem to have much of an interaction with the surroundings like a street-level park would. I would feel trapped up there...not so much from a safety perspective (even if it is kept extremely safe) I would just feel trapped from accessing the rest of my surroundings in the same way that walking past poorly designed buildings (or large gaps between buildings) does in most cities. In most places of Manhattan, you don't get that feeling at all, but it seems that way from what I've seen in the photos. Furthermore, I know aesthetics are subjective, but I think the thing is ugly as sin. For some reason, it reminds me of a brutalist style (even though I know it's not...maybe it's all the concrete they're putting in up there). The Hotel Standard is cool in a way, but as soon as the novelty wears off, I think it will be dated in the same bad way that 60s buildings are dated. Anyways, at least it is more green space without sacrificing density, and I hope all the best comes out of it because Manhattan truly is a wonderful place. You just will find me in other parts of Manhattan when I'm there. 8-)
February 14, 200817 yr Its not isolated from the city. Especially the lower portion. I think the images don't accurately portray the project in proportion - as it would if you were viewing it street or other vantage point(s).
February 14, 200817 yr I don't mean isolated from the city as in far away...I mean as in going long stretches without any access to anything. It seems like you can walk a whole block many times without the option to stop off and shop/leave the park/take a side street/enter a building/catch a bus/etc.
February 14, 200817 yr I don't mean isolated from the city as in far away...I mean as in going long stretches without any access to anything. It seems like you can walk a whole block many times without the option to stop off and shop/leave the park/take a side street/enter a building/catch a bus/etc. I think that's part of its appeal- weaving through and above the city without interacting with it, it provides a completely different vantage point from street level or building-level. I think it's going to be mobbed though, especially as residential and hotel density around it increases, so who knows how pleasant it's going to be during normal hours. Unfortunately, I think the northern part (in Hudson Yards) is gonna get ripped down. As the commercial market in Manhattan is starting to weaken, the MTA is just not going to take the financial hit of getting less money for the air rights leases.
February 14, 200817 yr I see your point. I guess that I just can't get over the fact that it doesn't appeal aesthetically to me, but I can see the purpose for others who would enjoy it as a walking/jogging/biking/etc. pathway without having to worry about street crossings, etc. yet still being in the heart of the city. Maybe it will grow on me.
Create an account or sign in to comment