The High Line is remarkable for so many reasons.  For one, it is simply a peaceful, relaxing, and beautiful refuge for New Yorkers and tourists alike to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.  It also stands as a model of adaptive reuse and sustainable practices for parks and planning projects around the world.  The park, in effect, is a “green roof” with the same type of environmental benefits, including: a reduction of storm-water runoff by up to 80%; a mediation of the “Heat Island” effect created by hard, reflective city surfaces; and plantings that create shade, oxygen, and habitat for insects and birds.

But in addition to being a green-conscious park that one can visit as a delightful escape from fast-paced Manhattan, the High Line has also enriched the local communities that surround it.  When the park was originally proposed, many local businesses in the area were being hit hard by the economic downturn.  But when the park opened, local business took off.  One local restaurant owner, speaking for many local businesses situated close to the park, said “the day the High Line opened was the day the recession ended for them.”

Congratulations to Friends of the High Line and the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation for opening Section 2 and creating a park that is beautiful, sustainable, and strengthens the local communities it connects!