The Underline

Parks, libraries, universities, museums, and concert halls have long relied on generous philanthropic underwriters to benefit a public seeking education, entertainment, and recreation. But in the past few years, wealthy donors have homed in on urban public parks and other “placemaking” projects with greater zeal—perhaps responding to cities struggling with shrinking parks, recreation, and infrastructure budgets, as well as growing inequality.

Ambitious plans for construction of the Underline, a 10-mile-long “linear park” for people on foot and on bikes that would run beneath the elevated Metrorail tracks, got a significant lift with the announcement Wednesday of a $22.3 million federal grant for the project.

To promote The Underline’s success as a world-class public space that connects and inspires the community, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation announced a new $925,000 investment in the development of a technology master plan and expanded professional expertise.