Bloomberg.com: The High Line = good economics

[The High Line last fall, as landscaping crews began planting.] All eyes were on our nation’s capital today as President Obama signed the stimulus bill (or, properly, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) into law. Before the $787 billion economic recovery package was finally approved, debate raged over how the funds should be distributed. On [...]

Bloomberg: High Line is “the world’s most innovative park”

[Mayor Bloomberg, speaking at our Groundbreaking ceremony in 2006.] In his annual State of the City Address, Mayor Bloomberg focused mainly on his strategy for stabilizing the city’s economy and pulling it out of recession.  The plan he outlined in today’s address at Brooklyn College focused on three main areas: job growth, quality of life, [...]

Planting on the High Line!

High Line grasses and perennials arrived onsite at 6am this morning. Friends of the High Line Deputy Director of Horticulture Melissa Fisher is working on the installation of the plants along with the High Line construction and landscape team including: SiteWorks, Kelco Landscaping, Inc., The Plant Group, planting designer Piet Oudolf, and landscape architects Field Operations. [Grasses and perennials arrived on site at 6am this [...]

Subsoil Delivery

[A mound of subsoil has been deposited in the future planting bed, and spread under the re-installed railroad tracks. Click all photos to enlarge.] In preparation for the arrival of plants later this fall, a layer of subsoil has just been delivered to the High Line above 19th Street. This soil, part of the High [...]

Photo of the Week: Heat Wave!

[Photo by the endlessly talented Tim Schenck] It’s ridiculously hot today. Of course, on the High Line construction site, that just means things are a little sexier than usual. Earlier: David Beckham Bares All for the High Line

Site Photography: Planking Installation

Timothy Schenck, on our engineering team, has taken some beautiful site photos throughout the construction process. More after the jump.

Movable Chaise Lounge Mock-up Arrives!

[Members of the construction, design, and client teams meet to review the lounge chair mock-up.] One of the most exciting furniture pieces on the High Line will be movable chaise lounge chairs located at the Sundeck between West 14th and 15th Streets. These lounge chairs will sit on the original rail tracks, mounted on new [...]

Work Continues; Soil for Section 1 to Arrive in Early April!

The landscaping of the High Line is one the most exciting aspects of this project. Much has been happening on site in preparation for this part of construction. On site, resident engineer LiRo and construction management team KiSKA are working with Kelco Landscaping, Inc., the landscape contractor, and SiteWorks, a site and landscape implementation specialist, to [...]

Action-Packed Construction Update

Section 1 is very busy right now as the team prepares for a delivery of soil in a few weeks. I went up this morning to take stock of all the action happening on the Line right now. Here are some highlights. Click all photos to enlarge. Tracks are being re-installed in their original locations, [...]

Intended and Unintended Consequences

I made a brief visit to the construction site on Saturday. The design is really starting to take shape. We are just entering that wonderful moment in a construction process when there are enough pieces in place that you can see how they all come together; and yet, like one of those biological learning tools, [...]