Posted June 9, 200916 yr :wave: very exciting news -- the high line park is now open to one and all! these shots are from yesterday's High Line Park advance media day 6/8/09. it wasn't too formal, i got an email about it and i just walked up no problem. Lucky i did as it's very rainy today, the park's official public opening day. info from the press packet: Location: West Side of Manhattan Section I: Gansevoort St to w20th St (Now Open) Section II: w20th St to 30th St (opens 2010) Section III: West Side Rail Yards (Not Yet Secured) Size Section I: 2.7 Acres, 9 Blocks, 0.5 mile Section II: 2.14 Acres, 10 Blocks, 0.5 mile Section III: 2.15 Acres, 0.45 mile Total: 7.08 Acres, 22 Blocks, 1.45 mile Design Team 2004-2009 Design Lead/Landscape Architecture/Urban Design: James Corner Field Operations Architecture: Diller, Scofidio + Renfro Plantings: Piet Ouldolf Structural/MEP Engineering: Buro Happold Structural Engineering/Historic Preservation: Robert Silman Associates Lighting: L'Observatorie International Signage: Pentagram Design, Inc Artwork: Spencer Tunik Operations: Friends of the Highline, a 501©(3) non-profit, Provides 70% of the operating budget under license Agreement w/NYC Dept. of Parks & Recreation *** :clap: ***
June 9, 200916 yr Uh... that is simply amazing and beautiful! What a great reuse. That is really, really awesome!
June 9, 200916 yr Beautiful, and it'll continue to become more interesting as the landscaping grows in.
June 9, 200916 yr I particularly enjoy the fact that they have left some of the rails in tact! I will definitely visit the Highline the next time I'm in New York. As an aside, is there any website that gives a good history of the highline and the rail system in New York? I'm mostly interested in the Highline and other elevated rails.
June 9, 200916 yr This is seriously going to be one of the most incredible public spaces in NYC, if not the world. Where is the entrance to the park, mrnyc?
June 9, 200916 yr for right now it's gansevoort st, subject to change: much more info here: http://www.thehighline.org/ ^ hey i just thought of something, as of today that changes from a community activist advocacy site to thee official high line park website. wow!
June 9, 200916 yr IIRC, the Parisians have had something like this for awhile. Great shots, makes me want to move to the NYC.
June 9, 200916 yr IIRC, the Parisians have had something like this for awhile. They have, but this is still pretty dang cool.
June 9, 200916 yr yes indeed, the promenade plantee park in paris was the inspiration for the high line park: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promenade_Plant%C3%A9e many other similar projects are in various stages of consideration: Promenade Plantée, Paris Reading Viaduct, Philadelphia, PA Bloomingdale Trail, Chicago, IL Rail Corridor, St. Louis, MO Harsimus Stem Embankment, Jersey City, NJ High Bridge, Manhattan/Bronx, NY Rockaway Beach Greenway, Queens, NY Hofpleinlijn, Rotterdam, The Netherlands Highland Railroad Bridge, Poughkeepsie, NY Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail, FL Stone Arch Bridge and "Bridge 9", Minneapolis, MN Save Our Steel, Bethlehem, PA i am sure this will inspire at least some of them to move forward!
June 9, 200916 yr IIRC, the Parisians have had something like this for awhile. They have, but this is still pretty dang cool. No question. Also, depending on where one lived and worked in Manhattan, this may even make for a pleasant alternative commute for some.
June 9, 200916 yr I dig. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 10, 200916 yr ^---"this may even make for a pleasant alternative commute for some." Looks like you can only go one way, and there's only one way in. Interesting.
June 10, 200916 yr a little while ago I tried entering the High Line at the alleged 16 St. "entrance" (This would be, I thought, a good way to hit the popular--and increasingly over-crowded :x--Chelsea Market, bet. 15th and 16th sts. & 9th and 10th aves--one of my favorite public spaces--at the same time). I was turned away, as were others, directing me to the Gansevoort St. end. They said they were trying to monitor the traffic and were only using 16th st as an exit (at least temporarily), despite the fact that the promotional literature--and even the signage!--states that it is also an entrance (though they were allowing exceptions for disabled in the adjoining elevator) Let this be a warning to anyone planning to visit the High Line in coming days... http://www.mainstreetpainesville.org/
June 10, 200916 yr ummm evd.....didn't you forget something? :? like the high line? so seriously what did ya think of it? :wink:
June 11, 200916 yr ummm evd.....didn't you forget something? :? like the high line? so seriously what did ya think of it? :wink: oh, I forgot...(minor detail). The High Line is amazing. Of course I was totally skeptical about the project over the years when it seemed to be associated with--and for the benefit of--nothing but rich, snooty downtown cultural elitists (like yourself-lol!), so I figured nothing good would come of it. But it's really impressive. They will have to conduct come kind of crowd control eventually (like probably this weekend!) when the masses descent on it, since some of the paths are so narrow (I was somewhat bewildered by that one portion--don't know if you noticed--that's only accessible if you're in barefeet :wtf:. I was shooed--ha ha--off of it--as were others--even though there were no signs indicating this restriction). I also wondered if the landlords of those dilapidated tenements (kind of like the one I live in) facing it were going to jack up the rents, assuming they haven't already sold their buildings to the highest greedy yuppie-scum developer! As nice as the High Line is, unfortunately it's going to attract mobs of more people to what has been a relatively sedate part of town (well, except for all the obnoxious clubs with drunken louts desperately trying to have fun and urinating in the streets at night) . Maybe it should be limited to those rich, snooty cultural elitists after all. http://www.mainstreetpainesville.org/
June 11, 200916 yr ^ Wow, you sound a little bit bitter about NYC's evolution. You bring an interesting perspective to the forum as it differs from the usual NYC cheerleading we usually get. From looking at these photos, this looks like a really beautiful public works project. I can only imagine if they built this in LA how quickly the vandals would ruin it. Is this less of an issue in NYC? This is a really good example for adaptive reuse and I'd imagine this will work wonders for the values of the surrounding properties. Thanks for sharing these photos with us mrNYC!
June 11, 200916 yr I have been following this project for some time now. To me this is brilliant. I love green spaces within an urban texture. I would like to see more of this thinking here in Cleveland. Thank you for these. And what an amazing city NewYork is.
June 11, 200916 yr ^ Wow, you sound a little bit bitter about NYC's evolution. You bring an interesting perspective to the forum as it differs from the usual NYC cheerleading we usually get. From looking at these photos, this looks like a really beautiful public works project. I can only imagine if they built this in LA how quickly the vandals would ruin it. Is this less of an issue in NYC? This is a really good example for adaptive reuse and I'd imagine this will work wonders for the values of the surrounding properties. Thanks for sharing these photos with us mrNYC! Didn’t I say the High Line looks “amazing” and “impressive?" But if you consider the transformation of diverse neighborhoods where people of all backgrounds and incomes once lived into yuppie enclaves as “evolution” then I guess I am slightly bitter. There’s nothing wrong with improvements, but when tenement buildings in which the working-class have lived for generations become affordable only to people making six-figure incomes there’s something terribly wrong. Even worse, areas that once offered unique one-of-a-kind ethnic stores and basic services have been supplanted with chain stores found in every mall around the country; although I’m not really opposed to some of the larger box stores, as they provide more variety and greater savings than some of the smaller, older ones. The changes in New York are a mixed blessing, but much of the character that had defined it for generations has been erased, ultimately to the detriment of all. (although maybe they could throw a few empty beer cans and shards of broken glass onto the remaining High Line tracks to give it back an air of authenticity--lol) http://www.mainstreetpainesville.org/
June 11, 200916 yr evd you sound like dcdan used to be. you cant put every change or gentrification in the city on any one thing, particularly the high line. as you well know the high line was an abandoned rail trail. it was unused and derelict since 1980. now its put back into use -- and to public use at that. not to mention the only way that happened was thru relentless grassroots advocacy (that's still ongoing re the northern section). we beat back the developers who wanted to tear it down and kept them from direct access to the park -- i think that is very heartening. i also dont understand how any public park in the city, and thats what the high line is remember, is any more anything than any other city park. sure some may skew yuppie, some may skew ghetto, etc, but thats not the park's fault, they are public -- open to all. and they will get all. look at it from the opposite ses direction -- today i ate lunch in st. mary's park in the south bronx. i'm just sayin -- parks is parks. and now the city has a spectacular new one!
June 11, 200916 yr I can't wait to sneak over there during a work day sometime soon (no way during the weekend). Looks so awesome. I would like to see more of this thinking here in Cleveland. It didn't make mrnyc's list above, but Cleveland's old Superior Viaduct is very much in the same family too. The High Line just goes to show how awesome a space like the Viaduct could be if we hired top notch designers, had many millions to spend on it, and if it actually connected to something. Also, one of the Flats pedestrian schemes showed a path on the mostly unused eastern side of the rapid viaduct. That would be a totally awesome pedestrian/bike route from Ohio City to Tower City that would be in this family of spaces.
June 12, 200916 yr evd you sound like dcdan used to be. you cant put every change or gentrification in the city on any one thing, particularly the high line. as you well know the high line was an abandoned rail trail. it was unused and derelict since 1980. now its put back into use -- and to public use at that. not to mention the only way that happened was thru relentless grassroots advocacy (that's still ongoing re the northern section). we beat back the developers who wanted to tear it down and kept them from direct access to the park -- i think that is very heartening. i also dont understand how any public park in the city, and thats what the high line is remember, is any more anything than any other city park. sure some may skew yuppie, some may skew ghetto, etc, but thats not the park's fault, they are public -- open to all. and they will get all. look at it from the opposite ses direction -- today i ate lunch in st. mary's park in the south bronx. i'm just sayin -- parks is parks. and now the city has a spectacular new one! Yes, I think the High Line park is a good thing, and I plan to make regular visits, but like so many things in New York I fear it's going to become a victim of its own success. As I mentioned earlier, the Chelsea Market: when it first opened ten or so years ago I loved going there. It was laid back and you could stroll through it at a leisurely pace. Any more it looks like Grand Central at rush hour, with people bumping into one another trying to dodge the oncoming traffic. With the 16th st. High Line entrance/exit virtually at its base, that many more people are going to be crowding Chelsea Mkt (and well they should--its a unique attraction), creating, in a worst case scenario, complete pedestrian gridlock. I assume you live near this area (right?), so you'll be able to visit the High Line and all the places you normally frequent at your discretion, but I don't think you're going to happy with all the invading mobs that took away the reason (I'm guessing)--the unique, non-congested, neighborhoody ambience--that you--and so many of the high-profile, well-heeled proponents of the High Line--found attractive in the first place. http://www.mainstreetpainesville.org/
June 12, 200916 yr oh come on evd whats a few more people, right? i mean we're only talking a matter of degree about that. the crowds are already here all day and night long since the meatpacking district was redeveloped....which of course also included the chelsea market. my once long empty and forlorn 8th ave corner now looks like a midtown corner most of the time, except it's midtown crowded and busy 24/7! the chelsea market traffic has been one annoying gridlock much of the day for quite awhile already. i love the market too, but i'd almost avoid it totally these days if it wasn't for the coffee stand inside and their liquid crack stumptown coffee. aww, now you got me grumbling...! :laugh: back on the high line, it will be interesting to see how it goes with the opening weekend crowds. seems like they are keeping a close handle on it for at least the summer. don't be surprised if you have to get timed wristbands at some points, that was anticipated.
June 12, 200916 yr oh come on evd whats a few more people, right? i mean we're only talking a matter of degree about that. the crowds are already here all day and night long since the meatpacking district was redeveloped....which of course also included the chelsea market. my once long empty and forlorn 8th ave corner now looks like a midtown corner most of the time, except it's midtown crowded and busy 24/7! the chelsea market traffic has been one annoying gridlock much of the day for quite awhile already. i love the market too, but i'd almost avoid it totally these days if it wasn't for the coffee stand inside and their liquid crack stumptown coffee. aww, now you got me grumbling...! :laugh: back on the high line, it will be interesting to see how it goes with the opening weekend crowds. seems like they are keeping a close handle on it for at least the summer. don't be surprised if you have to get timed wristbands at some points, that was anticipated. maybe you're right, and the crowds won't be that much worse (it is, after all, off the beaten track for most tourists), but this is a major new attraction, and I think the city will market it as such. Too soon to predict. -------------------------------------------------------- Btw, are you referring to Ninth St. Espresso in Chelsea Mkt. as your source of Stumptown Coffee? If so, they stopped serving it (see below). The one and only time I went to Ninth St. I was unimpressed. Not nearly as good as Mud Coffee, for example: Full article: http://www.nypress.com/article-19910-totally-stumped.html Excerpt: But not everyone is convinced. East Village stalwart Ninth Street Espresso has remained on the vanguard of coffee culture in NYC (other than the original location off Avenue C, they have a shop on Tompkins Square and in the Chelsea Market) and used to serve Stumptown. “We were the feather in the cap for [sorenson] when he got in New York,” says owner Ken Nye. “We were his first prominent client.” The relationship went sour a little less than a year after their initial partnership. Nye is prudent when discussing the reasons for no longer hocking Sorenson’s beans, but he did say that they stopped serving it because “we want to be more hands-on and more involved in selecting coffees and blends.” http://www.mainstreetpainesville.org/
June 12, 200916 yr interesting article, not to mention i had no idea that the nypress was even still around. that was new news to me. coffee bean wars, the ultimate yunnie battle!
June 12, 200916 yr I wish I could enjoy this project but it simply makes me angry. Elizabeth Diller was our adjunct professor last semester and she seems to think that the best way to rehab an old building is to throw rocks through all the windows and then call it an art project. Her process makes no sense and she's got no clear path. Last semester I was forced to write up a lawsuit and threaten to sue my school in part because of her. I don't think destroying private property in the name of "guerilla architecture" is a productive way to learn, nor is it right. I really wish this last semester had never happened because all I learned was that you have to become a disgusting human being to be a big name architect.
June 13, 200916 yr Beautiful photos. I can't believe how much NYC has changed since I moved from there four years ago. Some change has been good, some not. My favorite Irish bar got torn town for condos, so that's not good. I remember these tracks being a mess, so this change is definitely positive. It blows my mind to see all of the construction that's going on just in these photos.
June 14, 200916 yr Wow, thanks for the pictures. I would love to spend a day at the park. Makes me really want to go back to NYC.
June 14, 200916 yr Absolutely beautiful. Looks like the budget was incredible. I was under the impression that the high line was going to be much longer though.
June 14, 200916 yr Absolutely beautiful. Looks like the budget was incredible. I was under the impression that the high line was going to be much longer though. it will be, this is just the first segment. I think it's supposed to go all the way to 34th st. eventually. http://www.mainstreetpainesville.org/
June 14, 200916 yr ^ see the top of the thread for the answer to that question. as for costs, i just saw this in the nytimes: "The first two sections of the High Line cost $152 million, the Mayor said, $44 million of which was raised by Friends of the High Line, the group that led the project." http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/08/first-phase-of-high-line-is-ready-for-strolling/?src=tp ^construction has just started and the planned opening for the second section is next year: fall, 2010. you can see construction trailers up there and some workers too in the photos.
June 15, 200916 yr I love the style and design of the plant life. It gives the High Line this feel of being natural and maintained all at once which tells the story of an abandoned urban function that is seeing new life as something new quite well. This is just gorgeous (sans the cars).
June 16, 200916 yr I just went there this weekend and walked through. It is definitely my favorite public park ever. I hope that, as the length of the High Line expands, there will be some variety to it so that it's not just all beach chairs and landscaping .. but what they've done is amazing, and that's not meant to detract from what they've done, necessarily. You definitely get a good sense of it from the photos, but being there is just so, so cool. I love the integration of the old tracks with the landscaping. Amazing. This neighborhood is going to blow up because of this.
June 16, 200915 yr ^ glad you made it up there too now jpop! take a look at this awesome interactive link re your questions and concerns about the high line park planting designs on the future sections: http://www.thehighline.org/design/high-line-design
June 16, 200915 yr Absolutely beautiful. Looks like the budget was incredible. I was under the impression that the high line was going to be much longer though. it will be, this is just the first segment. I think it's supposed to go all the way to 34th st. eventually. When built out, it will only be 1.45 miles. I had envisioned a much longer path.
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