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ETMASSOCIATES, LLC
www.etmassociatesllc.com HIGH LINE
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
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BRIEF HISTORY
•Part of a massive public‐private infrastructure called the West Side Improvement in 1930s.
•It lifted freight traffic 20 feet above street level, removing traffic from street‐level.
•No trains have operated on the High Line since 1980.
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Predecessor to the High Line was the Promenade Plantée in Paris
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PLANNING AND DESIGN
•Friends of the High Line (FHL), a community‐based non‐profit group, formed in 1999 when the structure was under threat of demolition.
•The project gained the City's support in 2002.
•South of 30th Street was donated to the City by CSX Transportation Inc. in 2005.
•30th‐34th Street saved in 2011.
•Landscape architects James Corner Field Operations, with architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro, created design based on community input.
Proposed Whitney Museum
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PLANNING AND DESIGN
Section 1:2006‐June 2009: Now Open
Section 2:2009‐June 2011: Now Open
Section 3:Sept 2012: Under Construction
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Crane bringing in materialsCrane bringing in equipment
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MAINTENANCE OF THE HIGH LINE
•The High Line is maintained and operated by Friends of the High Line.
•Maintenance is a challenge as park is set 20 feet above street grade. e.g. Trash removal.
•Conventional practices will not work on the High Line.
Small bicycles replace packers, or other large vehicles, for mobility.
“Mobile” stations for ease of cleaning on the High Line.
Trash chutes to dispose trash from High Line
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Volunteers hand weed
Staff hand weed with small hand tools
MAINTENANCE OF THE HIGH LINE
•Delivery of materials and supplies and getting them to the High Line level is a challenge.
•Consideration for deliveries/disposal during design process.
•Freight elevator has an 11’ (3 meters) diagonal length limit.
•Longer items will require use of a crane and street closures.
Elevator
MAINTENANCE OF THE HIGH LINE
•Change of material while keeping the integrity of the design.
•12’ long concrete bench changed into shorter concrete base and wood slats.
•Slats will fit into elevator and easier to replace.
Original design
Modified design
MAINTENANCE OF THE HIGH LINE
•Maintenance yard space is not available within the park.
•A temporary solution was employed between Section 1 and Section 2 development.
•Trailers and smaller containers are used as part of the maintenance yard.
Storage unit
Smaller trash containers for ease of mobility
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Maintenance yard
Temporary maintenance yard during construction
Yard locatorMAINTENANCE OF THE HIGH LINE ‐‐ CHALLENGES
Maintaining the 23rd Street Lawn
•The 23rd Street Lawn is a favorite gathering space on the High Line. Only open green space in the park.
•Restoration plays a major role in maintaining the Lawn.
•The Lawn is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays throughout the busy season, as well as days following heavy rains and high use to allow the grass to recover.
•This helps keep the Lawn a welcoming green space all season long.
Lawn maintenance
Lawn closed off for restingKids and school groups
Sunbathing and lounging on lawn
MAINTENANCE OF THE HIGH LINE -- CHALLENGES
Snow and Ice Removal
•Maintenance staff begin work cleaning pathways as snow and ice falls.
•Snow and removal strategy has to be revised due to the park’s linear structure.
•Current strategy is to open the park in phases, from south to north, to allow access as quickly and as safely as possible.
•Only manual methods are employed to protect the plant communities. Manual snow removal
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Primary path and furnishing are cleared of snow and ice
Maintenance crew
Maintenance staff clearing ice patch after park opening
Manual snow removal
MAINTENANCE OF THE HIGH LINE ‐‐ CHALLENGES
Equipment
•Choice of equipment had to be carefully considered.
•Mobility is limited, but work needs to be done.
•In its first year, High Line has more than 2 million visitors.
•A lot of work needs to be done to keep the park clean.
•Most work is done by hand, supplemented with use of maintenance trikes and smaller equipment.
High Line Trike
Containers rolled to trash chutes to be disposed of
“Mobile” stations to collect trash, or cleanup
Trash bags get collected by small containers
OPERATIONS – PARK RULES
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OPERATIONS
•The Park Enforcement Patrol (PEP) enforce park rules.
•PEP is a division of the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation and have the authority to issues summons for infraction of park rules.
•Dogs are not allowed on the High Line due to the limited access and the fragility of the plantings.
•Hours of operation are from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM daily.
PEP officer
PEP officer ticketing a smoker
ACCESS
Access to the High Line is possible via any of nine (9) access points located along the High Line. The High Line is fully wheelchair accessible.
Stairs Access
Elevator Access
GOVERNANCE – Friends of the High Line
•A non‐profit organization, founded in 1999 by two neighborhood residents, Joshua David and Robert Hammond.
•They seek to preserve the structure when faced with threat of demolition.
•Working with the City, the policy favoring demolition was reserved, and ensuring its preservation through the federal Railbanking program.
GOVERNANCE
•City of NY continues to serve as the owner of the High Line.
•City of NY provides some support.
•FHL, holds a license agreement with the City, is responsible for its maintenance, operations, and funding.
•FHL raises more than 70% of the park’s annual operating expenses.
•FHL is working to raise fund to complete the construction of Section 3 and create an endowment for its future operations.
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FUNDING CONTRIBUTIONS
70%, or $4.7M
30%, or $2M
•Estimated annual operating budget is $6.7M
•Budget is for Section 1 and Section 2 only
•$3.5M is for grounds maintenance
•Maintenance is projected to go up to $4.5M
•Friends of the High Line fundraises more than 70% of its operating budget.
•Funding comes from grants, donations, and memberships (including merchandises).
•City provides the remaining 30%.
BUDGET
•$4 Billion private investment/ development
•“Architects Row” – Jean Nouvel, Annabell Selldorf, Neil Denvari, etc.
•Upscale restaurants
•29 new development projects
•2,500 new residential units
•1,000 hotel rooms
•500,000+ SF of office and art gallery space
•8,000 construction jobs
•12,000 jobs from redevelopment
•Apartment prices doubled ‐‐ $2,000 per SF
•Projected $900 million in revenue over next 30 years
ECONOMIC BENEFITS1. Whitney Museum
2. Edison Properties, mixed use; public plaza
3. 508 West 20th Street
4. Sherwood Equities
5. 511 West 21st Street
6. Equity Residential
7. 245 10th Avenue
8. Hampshire Companies, retail‐office
9. L&M Development Partners and Ekstein Development
10. Related Companies, mixed use
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HIGH LINE NOWVolunteers/ stewardship
Dance competition
Educational program
Programming is Critically Important ‐ safety and use
Dance competition
Educational program
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Temporary rollerblading
Visitor booth
Food and beverage Food and beverage
Music and dance
Temporary Arts
Temporary Arts
Concert
Movies
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THANK YOU