Final NYC High Line Segment Opens

Via Gothamist:

The High Line is finally done! The third and final phase of the elevated park was officially opened on Saturday at a ceremony held near its south end directly above West 31st Street. A long procession of colorfully-dressed volunteers, community members, and people otherwise associated with the High Line's development—ranging from design firm employees to local LGBT groups (including the ever-entertaining Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps Marching Band)—marched down the length of the existing High Line bearing flags and giant puppets. Phase Three stretches from the High Line's previous northern terminus above West 30th Street and Tenth Avenue, along Twelfth Avenue overlooking the Hudson River and Penn Station's West Side Yard (read: lots of LIRR trains), to West 34th Street across from the Javits Center. The 34th Street entrance is the first and only grade-level, non-elevated entry into the park.

Many photos are at the link.

An Underground Park For NYC?

The BBC reports:

For New Yorkers frustrated by the lack of space the tradition has long been to build upwards - but the city renowned for its skyscrapers is now looking to exploit spaces underground too. The Low Line is a proposed subterranean park the size of a football pitch that would be created on the site of a former trolley terminal in Manhattan's Lower East Side. The century-old site has not been in use since 1948, yet its 18ft-high (5.5m) ceilings, rail tracks and cobblestones have been preserved largely intact. The name Low Line echoes the hugely popular High Line. That public park was created on disused sections of a raised railway track that snakes through downtown Manhattan. It attracts millions of visitors each year.

(Tipped by JMG reader Kevin)

Morning View - From The High Line

Morning View - 10th & 23rd

This new condo tower has cantilevered its floors to hover out over the High Line Park.

Just Your Standard Peep Show

The Meatpacking District's fancy new Standard Hotel straddles the also fancy, also new High Line Park, whose visitors have been treated to numerous sex shows from the windows of the hotel, including a few porn shoots. The New York Post is outraged:

Disgusted neighbors say they've seen men masturbating, professional porn films being shot and couples engaging in sex in full view of the stunning High Line park path running alongside. "That crazy kind of behavior is completely unnecessary," complained Bobby Shoule, 37, of Queens, the father of a 15-month-old daughter. Business neighbors also are disgusted. "I've seen a few porn shoots -- three dudes walking around a hotel room with cameras and lights filming a couple," said Joe, a manager at the next-door Brass Monkey. "I've seen at least 10 different people having sex. Saturday nights are the best time for the show."

The Standard's own Facebook page was actually encouraged the shows, although this message has now been removed:

"We encourage you to exercise your inner exhibitionist. Please share your intimate, and explicit photos with us -- those floor to ceiling windows aren't just for the views . . .whatever you do, just make sure the shots are HOT and that you get them to us in whichever way you can. It's all about sex all the time, and you're our star."

City Council Speaker and nudge Christine Quinn promises to crack down on the hotel. So. Anybody up for the High Line this weekend? Saturday looks good.

NYC High Line Opens June 15th

The long-anticipated opening of the High Line, an elevated freight rail line turned into park space along the west side of Manhattan, is scheduled for June 15th. However the city is limiting admittance to 1700 persons at a time.

During peak periods, access to the facility would be limited to the southernmost entrance at Gansevoort Street and interested visitors would receive wristbands permitting admission to the park at allotted hours. Eventually, Bradley said, a live web link will allow people to check the park’s availability prior to making the trek west. “One of the things that we’re uncertain about is the number of visitors that we’re going to get,” Bradley explained, “so we’re putting in place a plan — which we’re not going to start unless we need to — where we’ll control access to the park.” While Friends of the High Line manages the project, the Parks Department is in charge of providing security.

It sort of figures that a park in Chelsea would have a bouncer and wristbands.

(Via - Gothamist)