The High Line Park near Gansevoort Street in lower Manhattan.

The High Line Park

A nature gem on Manhattan’s lower West Side

The High Line Park by the West Side Highway in Manhattan is one of my top ten most loved parks in the world. Its distinct character is that it runs above ground, on the third-floor level, on rail tracks originally built in the early 1920’s for freight trains. These industrial era trains were transporting goods from the docks of lower Manhattan to the many warehouses and factories located in the northern areas of Manhattan’s West Side.

In 1999, the abandoned remaining rail structure of the High Line was threatened with demolition. Neighborhood residents Joshua David and Robert Hammond formed Friends of the High Line to advocate for the preservation and public access of the structure.

In 2002, through the leadership of Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the New York City Council, the City of New York boldly committed to transform the High Line into a one-of-a-kind park.

And thus, the idea of the High Line Park took off.

Urban nature in its full splendor

The High Line walkway by Gansevoort Street. The Whitney Museum is visible through the trees.