The High Line in New York City
When I lived in Manhattan some years ago, there was always much talk about what to do with the West Side Line of the old Central Railroad, which had been abandoned since around 1980. At long last, in 1999, some local residents formed a group they called Friends of the High Line. This group dedicated itself to preserving the structure and transforming it into usable public space. The result was The High Line, a beautiful new New York City attraction, sometimes called the Garden Skyway of the Future.
Essentially, The High line is an elevated section of an old freight line that was transformed into public park, or an aerial greenway, that officially opened in 2009. The inspiration came from similar project in Paris, called the Promenade plantee. The High Line is 1.45 miles long and stretches from around West 32nd Street down to what was known as the meatpacking district. Its southern tip runs into the new Whitman Museum, which relocated from 5th Avenue uptown.
The entrance is a bit difficult to find amidst all the construction going on on the west side. The High Line is easy to walk and is not only a tourist attraction, but a comfortable place of relaxation for locals, with pleasant views of the Hudson River, many interesting benches and lounge chairs for resting and contemplation. 
On a hot day, the water feature on The High Lineis much enjoyed by the very young.
The buildings surrounding the High Line are an interesting mix of the old and the new, some quite whimsical and contemporary, including the ultra modern-looking new extension of one of the subway lines.
Parts of The High Line are wooded, giving the semblance of a forest, some portions include native plants that actually grew on the site before its transformation. There are also many beautiful, cultivated flower beds with seasonal blooms. Partial sets of railway tracks are incorporated into the landscaping to remind us of what was there originally.
The New York City Parks & Recreation Department that maintains The High Line allows displays of art along the length of the walkway. The art installations change each year. Below are some examples:
This is called “Smart Tree” - it’s a live tree that is planted in the roof of a little smart car made entirely of old tires.
There is art with some conscience raising ideas, called Blind Idealism:
There is Kinetic Art Humorous Art, called Sunbathers, intended as a bit of a public scare (there are NO nude sunbathers).
“Interactive” art, called “Sleepwalker”:
It’s good to see so much revival and revitalization going on in a city that I love, of which The High Line is a great example. It’s also great to live close enough in Connecticut, within easy commute to the Big Apple so as to be able to enjoy all that it has to offer.
New Whitney Museum; Ongoing construction
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