The High Line

Posted on | September 25, 2009 | No Comments

Firstly, I want to say that the High Line is beautiful on the surface. It’s a fantastic looking re-use experiment than stands out in the meatpacking district.

However, that’s where the accolades end. It floors me that despite so many neighborhoods in New York City failing to meet the NYC2030 plan requirements of 1.5 acres per thousand people that a neighborhood as park rich as this one can somehow lay claim to the most expensive to maintain park in the entire city. (one block away lies the Hudson River Park)

The news has started coming to the forefront that the park was also constructed using Amazon rain forest trees. Rain forest preservation issues aside, its hardly a sustainable practice to rely on wood from overseas.

Now clearly some things are going right: the park is seeking to create a BID to help offset the massive cost of maintaining the park. I support strongly the rights of families and businesses within the vicinity of the High Line to support an amenity that gives them value. Where I think the City should draw the line is in the 1 million in support that they will give the park annually, and “The High Line has twice as many parks enforcement patrol officers as all of the Bronx“.

Though gorgeous, it seems that the High Line Park is an unfortunate example of the second class status of other neighborhoods where park space is more badly needed.

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