The First Section of The High Line is Open

Yesterday a festival was held at Ganesvoort Street to celebrate the opening of the first section of The Highline, and the fair was sponsored by Target. Lemonade from a water tower with fresh mine that you could choose was served and guests enjoyoed dancing, music, silkscreening, photos, and live animals along the street. Starting at Ganesvoort Street, the High Line was originally constructed in the 1930s, to lift dangerous freight trains off Manhattan's streets. Section 1 of the High Line is open as a public park, owned by the City of New York and operated under the jurisdiction of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. Friends of the High Line is the conservancy charged with raising private funds for the park and overseeing its maintenance and operations, pursuant to an agreement with the Parks Department.

When all sections are complete, the High Line will be a mile-and-a-half-long elevated park, running through the West Side neighborhoods of the Meatpacking District, West Chelsea and Clinton/Hell's Kitchen. It features an integrated landscape, designed by landscape architects James Corner Field Operations, with architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro, combining meandering concrete pathways with naturalistic plantings. Fixed and movable seating, lighting, and special features are also included in the park.

Access points from street level will be located every two to three blocks. Many of these access points will include elevators, and all will include stairs.

Sections two and three will open at a later date.

For more information:

www.thehighline.org