The High Line is a 1.5-mile greenway that runs through several New York City neighborhoods. Founded by neighborhood residents, Friends of the High Line partnered with elected leaders, government officials, and supporters to preserve the historic structure and fund the transformation of the High Line into a public space. Today, working in partnership with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, Friends of the High Line manages and operates the park, and raises nearly 100% of its annual operating budget. The High Line puts on more than 400 free programs a year and hosts rotating world-class art exhibits through its High Line Art program. In 2016, the High Line saw more than seven million visitors—one third of them New York City residents. As part of its ongoing commitment to the neighborhood surrounding the park, the High Line offers teen employment opportunities that give teens important training in professional skills—from horticulture to environmental justice.
| Infrastructure Type | Railway |
| Status | Open / Ongoing |
| Opening | Section 1: June 2009 Section 2: June 2011 Section 3: September 2014 Spur: 2018 |
| Size | 6.7 acres, 1.5 miles |
| Design Team | James Corner Field Operations, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Piet Oudolf |
| Management | Managed and operated by Friends of the High Line in partnership with the City of New York |
Ian Garrick Mason’s short film highlights the importance of making space for parks in unlikely places, from under the Gardiner Expressway in Toronto to an elevated railway on Manhattan’s west side.
Harvard Graduate School of Design awarded Friends of the High Line with the Green Prize for their continued stewardship of the project, which has long been hailed as a model of urban revitalization and collaboration.
Can a group of infrastructure reuse projects around North America inspire equitable development instead of displacement?
