A Walk Through the Final, Funky Stretch of the High Line
Five million people now walk the High Line every year. Since inaugurating its first phase in 2009, the park, built on elevated train tracks on the West Side of Manhattan, has become one of the most popular destinations in New York City.
And it’s now completed.The High Line’s third and final phase opened on Sept. 21 after a $35 million investment, and it comes with a big turn. Starting on 30th Street, the park now moves east-west for the first time, as opposed to the south-north stretch between Gansevoort and 30th streets.
The track goes west all the way to the West End Highway, circling the Rail Yards, and turning north again to end at 34th Street.
During a walk and interview at the High Line, Paul Goldberger, architecture critic of Vanity Fair, said he loves the new phase. “It’s almost like a metaphor for the city itself,” he said. “You go from open to closed, from great views to feeling more inward, from crowds to solitude.”
Some additions to the third phase include train tracks that you can actually walk on, and a children's play area, which is still being completed.
Here's a stop-motion walk of the last phase of the High Line from 34th Street to 30th Street, shot by Alexis Nielson:
The new phase also comes with a lot of construction surrounding it as part of the Hudson Rail Yards project. The new development that will be built on top of the train yard is expected to include five skyscrapers and 13 million square feet of commercial and residential space.
Goldberg said that all the construction noise is a reminder of what the High Line is about. “It has really been designed with a sense of constant connection with the city,” he said. “It’s a new model for a park. It’s a park about engagement, not separation; removal from the urban environment, but connection to it.”
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