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Thursday, May 20, 2021

The High Line, Chelsea, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA



I don't seem to tire of visiting nor talking about the High Line - this is my fourth post about it on this trip to Manhattan - it's great for people-watching, city-watching and, getting walking exercise without getting run over at street-level or stopping at every corner to wait for the pedestrian light to cross somewhat safely. In this image, I note the design integration of track and greenery and walkway and humans and city all together.



A view eastward up a side street in residential Chelsea.



A view up 10th Avenue from the High Line. Note the red arrow - it points to a tourist attraction called "Edge" in Hudson Yards - it's a glass platform 100-stories up that protrudes out over the street so you can look straight down or straight out for commanding views.



One of the many artworks along the High Line - an outsized marble and stainless steel dental retainer.



The irony of this ad made me laugh out loud and shake my head in wonder. When the High Line development was being contemplated twenty+ years ago, many/most/all local developers wanted the elevated eyesore torn down. Of course now, it's an incredibly successful asset to the area and the adjacent properties reap great benefit by proximity so they are singing a different tune. (Note: I don't know what this particular property's opinion was back then, if they even existed or had an opinion - the sign is just to illustrate my point).

While many individuals and companies contributed time, money, and/or expertise to bring this park into existence, it is the two friends Joshua David and Robert Hammond who are credited as founders. They were two regular local guys who had no idea how to navigate the complexities of such a project but, they knew preserving the elevated pathway as a park was a good future for their community and doggedly pursued it with the passion of visionaries.  An acknowledgement is also appropriate for the CSX transportation corporation who donated the elevated trackway to the City of New York.



Photographers who read this blog will recognize the logo above and may get a kick out of this. B&H is a well-known mail order company for all photographic needs - I have ordered many times from them over the years. It just happened to be on the route between my hotel and the High Line so I walked by it everyday on the way. I went inside to visit once - it was buzzing with activity - retail and mail order.

Once again, if you'd like to learn more about the High Line, this link is to an outstanding documentary by the Great Museums folks that really tells the story well. And here's a link to the very comprehensive  High Line website if you want more info or to join as a member.

Here are my other recent amateurish posts about it (amateurish in comparison to the above two links):







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