Background
Environmental Impacts Social Impacts
Originally built in 1929, the High Line was a 13-mile
The plants chosen were those that would flourish in the environment The High Line is especially attractive to locals in Manh
project that ran elevated across the west of
for a long term, with the majority of the plants being native to New York restricted access to outdoor green areas that most oth
Manhattan. Built at a cost of $150m, inflation
as well as already growing on the disused railway line. “While the High Line may have become a fashionable
adjusted that would now cost over $2bn, it soon fell
In order to reduce waste and pollution pesticides are not used and of-town visitors, it succeeds because it offers a green o
out of favour and began to be closed and
instead the plant managers recycle plant material to make compost. neighbours, who, like Parisians, live in small apartmen
demolished. Much of the line was axed in the 1960s,
This prevent chemical fertilisers running off elsewhere. American city do residents rely so much on communal
and more was shut off in the 1980s. A short section
than backyards, for relaxation,” says Rybczynski.
remained, unused, until the turn of the century.
However, the crowds that it attracts bring many proble
In 1999, Manhattan campaigns began to turn the
snakes through 20 blocks is destroying neighborhoods
disused rail line into a public space. The majority of it
design. It has quickly become a tool for the Bloomberg
sat there out of use for 40 years while the
creation of a new, upscale, corportised stretch along th
surrounding neighborhoods of Chelsea and the
has crated social tensions between locals and newcom
Meatpacking District became sought-after locales.
being forced out due to the increase in rent prices.
The high line park, unveiled in 2009 and currently
While from the offset it may seem to be very exciting i
being extended, runs through the western part of
created many issues for the locals who were living the
Manhattan. A mile-long walkway decorated with
cases, has been highly disruptive.
plant life; it offers a unique view of Manhattan.
Economic im
Apart from co
Regeneration in New York City to build the H
money by att
particular ma
Replicating success London’s Garden Bridge people often
Since the High Line was unveiled, numerous cities across the world have talked of similar projects. In London, expensive ho
Mayor Boris Johnson had announced he would like to replicate the High Line over some of the UK capital’s eat generatin
utilising many out-of-use tube and rail links. hospitality se
Whilst regenerative projects are attractive, they are also expensive. The combined cost of the first two phases of
New York’s High Line was more than £140m – a considerable sum for a small urban park. A third of this was raised
through private funding, but ongoing upkeep is paid for by the city.
Finding the funding for this in places like London might prove difficult, especially as there is such demand for
property developments and housing, as well as better transport infrastructure. However, while cities certainly
need to be better connected, they also need to be livable spaces that citizens enjoy being in. Providing green
spaces in innovative ways can help already cramped cities achieve this and allow people to feel that they don’t
existence merely to wake up and go to work.
London's £200m Garden Bridge has been ditched after losing the mayor's backing, the charity leading the project
confirmed in 2017.
The Garden Bridge Trust had been planning a garden bridge across the Thames from Temple to the South Bank
but said today it will be winding up the project. A report into the project stated that it had already cost the
taxpayer £37.4m.
Environmental Impacts Social Impacts
Originally built in 1929, the High Line was a 13-mile
The plants chosen were those that would flourish in the environment The High Line is especially attractive to locals in Manh
project that ran elevated across the west of
for a long term, with the majority of the plants being native to New York restricted access to outdoor green areas that most oth
Manhattan. Built at a cost of $150m, inflation
as well as already growing on the disused railway line. “While the High Line may have become a fashionable
adjusted that would now cost over $2bn, it soon fell
In order to reduce waste and pollution pesticides are not used and of-town visitors, it succeeds because it offers a green o
out of favour and began to be closed and
instead the plant managers recycle plant material to make compost. neighbours, who, like Parisians, live in small apartmen
demolished. Much of the line was axed in the 1960s,
This prevent chemical fertilisers running off elsewhere. American city do residents rely so much on communal
and more was shut off in the 1980s. A short section
than backyards, for relaxation,” says Rybczynski.
remained, unused, until the turn of the century.
However, the crowds that it attracts bring many proble
In 1999, Manhattan campaigns began to turn the
snakes through 20 blocks is destroying neighborhoods
disused rail line into a public space. The majority of it
design. It has quickly become a tool for the Bloomberg
sat there out of use for 40 years while the
creation of a new, upscale, corportised stretch along th
surrounding neighborhoods of Chelsea and the
has crated social tensions between locals and newcom
Meatpacking District became sought-after locales.
being forced out due to the increase in rent prices.
The high line park, unveiled in 2009 and currently
While from the offset it may seem to be very exciting i
being extended, runs through the western part of
created many issues for the locals who were living the
Manhattan. A mile-long walkway decorated with
cases, has been highly disruptive.
plant life; it offers a unique view of Manhattan.
Economic im
Apart from co
Regeneration in New York City to build the H
money by att
particular ma
Replicating success London’s Garden Bridge people often
Since the High Line was unveiled, numerous cities across the world have talked of similar projects. In London, expensive ho
Mayor Boris Johnson had announced he would like to replicate the High Line over some of the UK capital’s eat generatin
utilising many out-of-use tube and rail links. hospitality se
Whilst regenerative projects are attractive, they are also expensive. The combined cost of the first two phases of
New York’s High Line was more than £140m – a considerable sum for a small urban park. A third of this was raised
through private funding, but ongoing upkeep is paid for by the city.
Finding the funding for this in places like London might prove difficult, especially as there is such demand for
property developments and housing, as well as better transport infrastructure. However, while cities certainly
need to be better connected, they also need to be livable spaces that citizens enjoy being in. Providing green
spaces in innovative ways can help already cramped cities achieve this and allow people to feel that they don’t
existence merely to wake up and go to work.
London's £200m Garden Bridge has been ditched after losing the mayor's backing, the charity leading the project
confirmed in 2017.
The Garden Bridge Trust had been planning a garden bridge across the Thames from Temple to the South Bank
but said today it will be winding up the project. A report into the project stated that it had already cost the
taxpayer £37.4m.
