An abandoned railway became a beloved park
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The High Line is a public park located on Manhattan's West Side, built on a decommissioned railway line. Funded by the nonprofit organization Friends of the High Line and through community outreach, the structure was reinvented as a space filled with gardens, art, food, and entertainment for everyone to enjoy.
In the mid-19th century, the New York Central Railroad operated freight trains carrying food to lower Manhattan. These trains travelled along tracks that were at street level, where pedestrians regularly walked. These dangerous conditions on Tenth Avenue led to the deaths of 540 people by 1910, leading it to be commonly known as "Death Avenue."
In 1924, the city's Transit Commission initiated a program of improvements that included closing street-level crossings, removing railroad tracks from the streets, and constructing an elevated railway line that would subsequently be known as the "West Side Elevated Line".
During the 1960s and 1970s, there was a general decline in the use of rail transport due to the increased popularity of road transport, which led to the total interruption of rail services in 1980, when the first requests for the complete demolition of the elevated tracks were made. However, in 1983, proposals were made to repurpose the High Line for other uses to preserve the structure.
Following the demolition order signed by former Mayor Rudy Giuliani in 1999, Joshua David and Robert Hammond established the non-profit organization Friends of the High Line, intending to restore the track, which had been taken over by wildlife after decades of disuse.
A competition was organised in 2003 to restore the High Line. The event received 720 entries from over 36 countries, contributing significantly to raising awareness about the project. In 2006, the landscape architecture firm James Corner Field Operations, the design studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and the plant designer Piet Oudolf were selected to form a team to oversee its transformation.
"A railroad frog will become the prince of a park,” said The New York Times.
The initial segment of the High Line was inaugurated in 2009, and over the subsequent decade, additional phases were unveiled as zoning amendments were ratified to facilitate construction.
Today, the High Line is a 2.33-kilometer-long path filled with green spaces featuring more than 500 species of plants and trees. It has been transformed into a place where both locals and tourists can enjoy gardens, artwork, and free performances, as well as a unique perspective of New York City.
With an investment of $115 million, this initiative drove the transformation of the surrounding area, focusing on sustainability and regenerative architecture, including projects such as:
-Neil Denari's HL23, which runs on renewable energy.
-Studio Gang's Solar Carve was designed to protect the park's light.
-Zaha Hadid's 520 West 28th features futuristic curves that conceal efficient systems.
-Heatherwick's Lantern House features bubble windows that flood houses with natural light.
-The Whitney Museum, designed by Renzo Piano, boasts green roofs and an efficient design.
The High Line has been transformed into a living showcase of eco-friendly design, generating significant economic impact. This initiative has generated more than $5 billion in green real estate, created 12,000 jobs, and has inspired numerous cities worldwide to convert their own abandoned railways into vibrant public spaces.
Sources: The High Line, Urban Design Lab, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Landscape Performance