It’s been a while since I shared any photo essays with you all. What with the move to New York and my being so busy getting all settled and then getting ready for the holidays.
But I am going to correct that today. Now you may not know this but I grew up here so there are very few things that would surprise this veteran New Yorker. I have seen it all and gone up to the highest buildings…and I’ve spent half of my life in the train system, below and above ground.
But I had never walked on a train line…till now!
I am taking you with me on a tour of the High Line in New York. It is a long post but so worth it.
Below is the entrance to the High Line on 34th Street in Manhattan.
And what is this High Line? It is a recycled railway into an urban park. The elevated railway opened in 1934 and served to transport meat between the factories and warehouses of the meat packing district. You can read more about the history here.
The railway closed in 1980 but it was structurally sound. And the gravel was perfect for plant growth. This eventually led the community to remake it into the present park. It has been opened to the public in stages from 2009, to the most recent opening of the upper section in 2014.
My little trip took us from 34th Street which is the newest section all the way down to the start on 12th Street. The photos I am sharing are of my perspective as I walked along the park on a crisp fall day.
To the left you can see the famous Javits Convention Center. As you can see there is lots of construction going on in the city…all the time.
As we continue our walk we can see the Hudson Yards construction area with the rail yard at the forefront. It is the largest private real estate development in the history of the United States and the largest development in New York City since Rockefeller Center.
Let’s zoom in for a second and look at that web like structure to the right, wedged in between the two skyscrapers. It is called “The Shed” an arts center with an exterior shell that opens and contracts to accommodate different events at the same time. In fact if you are an architecture enthusiast like me, watch this video to see how it works.
That red and black structure is called “The Vessel” and is the centerpiece of the public area of Hudson Yards. When it is completed it will consist of 154 flights of stairs, almost 2,500 steps. Now that is a workout!
In the background you can even see the Empire State building. And I have gotten off track…but the point is the High Line is a great place to see so much of the city.
As we continue our walk we see that the area if full of greenery and trees. There are also a number of gardens on the Line, which must be incredible to see in the spring and summer.
A bit further and we encounter this enclosed space that is for concerts and other events.
Here you can see what the line looks like as it crosses above 30th Street. I did not know it at the time but there was construction going on above us and “The Shed” was right behind this area.
As we crossed 30th Street and looked back this is what we saw! That giant metal and glass tower is 10 Hudson Yards, newly built. And the other building is luxury apartments.
Moving along we encounter this condo by Zaha Hadid, a world famous architect. It has robot valets and a private IMAX theater. But what is really impressive is the facade which was sculpted piece by piece.
If you look to the west you can see the Hudson River, and New Jersey.
We continue down towards 26th Street, where we see lots of interesting buildings and also fall trees. There are access points every few blocks leading up to the line. You’ll have to excuse the photography as the weather was unpredictable.
Rest stops are also included at strategic points.
So much foliage it makes you forget you are in the heart of the Chelsea District.
Looking down on 27th Street toward the east we see Chelsea Park to the left.
This sculpture “Sphinx Joachim” by Marguerite Humeau is located on 26th Street. It is a winged lion that is meant to protect the site against potential enemies.
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This interesting condo juts out into the Line and is located on 23rd Street. It is aptly named HL-23 and has huge glass paned windows.
Below you can get a better idea of just how expansive the High Line. The Street Lawn which stretches a block, is where visitors can have picnics and enjoy the parks summer programs.
On 17th Street we come to a Square with trees and benches. To the right is the Overlook.
This is a better view of the square with those ever present benches.
And the Overlook which is right next to the Square. This space is like an amphitheater which allows the visitor to look up onto Tenth Avenue.
You may have noticed that up till now we were only looking at the Streets going across, meaning east to west, underneath the High Line. Overlook is above Tenth Avenue, meaning South to North.
The original train tracks which snake their way up along various points on the High Line path.
We continue on under the Chelsea Market Passage and finally make our way to the end of the line below 12th Street. This is where the Line was severed in the 1990’s.
It was quite a walk for me and not at all what I was expecting.
Like I said I may be a veteran New Yorker but I never expected to see this oasis in the middle of the city. Oh there are many parks and green areas but this is the first time I’ve seen one perched on railroad tracks.
If you happen to visit New York this is a must see. Here is their website and as you’ve seen it is so much more than just a park. I hope you have enjoyed my tour of the High Line in New York.
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How fascinating Mary. I was enthralled all the way through your post and that video of The Shed. Wow, how on earth do people come up with such amazing ideas. Just imagine the engineering and planning that must have gone into that. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall in those planning sessions. People are so clever. Thanks so much for doing the long walk and taking all these pictures. Mind blown
Michelle this post took me so long to write. I ended up researching every building, every nook and cranny! I find all this stuff so fascinating. And yes, how do they come up with these ideas. Who is going to walk up and down all those flights of stairs in the vessel? And why would they want to? But it sure looks awesome! And all those cool looking buildings, there were a few that the high line went through but I didn’t take photos, it was too dark. Maybe I will go back n the spring to report on the progress of the Hudson Yards and share the gardens.
These pictures are amazing.
It gives me comfort knowing you are in the USA.
🙂
I am so happy to be here and rediscovering New York all over again!
Wow that shed is really cool, and that area that people can sit and overlook the street is pretty neat. I haven’t ever been to New York so I really enjoyed the tour.
Thanks Linda I was very impressed with the way they thought it out and how they decided to repurpose the tracks.
Hello, wonderful scenes and views of NYC. I love the reflections. What a nice walk. Great photos. Happy Thursday, enjoy your day!
Thanks so much Eileen. This place was an eye opener for me. First time I walked on the tracks so high above.
So glad you are enjoying and making the most of your time in NY Mary. The high line is a great place to take a walk on a nice day and I love the history behind it.
It would have been nice if the Tappan Zee bridge could have been converted to a walkway also, but it’s not gonna happen.
Thank you for this informative post!
xxx
Doreen the history was fascinating to me too. I was also very impressed with all the surrounding buildings. It would have been great if they could have done this with the Tappan Zee as well.
If I ever come to NYC, I would definitely want to see THIS! Fascinating tour! Hubby and I love RR tracks, new and old. The Shed is fascinating too (I watched the video you provided). Was it once a part of the track system? And they built over it? Is it pretty safe to walk around?
The Shed is a new construction and is not on the tracks but on a space above the railroad yard. That is where the whole of the Hudson Yards is being built. I guess it must be safe. They know what they’re doing. All of those skyscrapers are on top of New York which is full of subway lines and tunnels underneath.
So fun! I haven’t been in about 5 years!
It is definitely worth another trip. They have extended it to 34th Street.
What a delight to discover this post!
Thank you Claudia, it was a revelation to me to see this place.
That’s so interesting! I love the lion sculpture! What a great place to get a good walk in!
I felt like a little kid in a candy shop, so much to see.
Wow, very beautiful photos. I would love to visit there.
It was a once in a lifetime experience for me.
Everything is so tall! I haven’t been to NYC since pre-9/11. I need to get back!
Everything really is tall. I just came back and am astounded at how tall everything really is. I don’t remember all these tall buildings. I think them must have had a construction boom while I was away! 😉
Mary,
This is so cool….all of your pictures have me itching to visit New York again. Speaking of which, I had no idea about your move. I’m kind of jealous….
Much Love,
Erica
Erica don’t be jealous, New York is so much more expensive than I remembered it. But yeah all these things to see is a huge plus! Next time you come up we will get together.
That is FANtastic! What a great way to see the city.
🙂 gwingal
And to think I had no idea it even existed till my son told me about it.
Your photo tour was superb! I have traveled quite a bit, but still haven’t been to NYC, so I appreciate this post! Thanks for linking up today!
Well, it has to go on your bucket list for sure. There is so much to see in NY!
I’ve visited NYC many times but never heard of the High Line. It is a must see on my next visit. Which I hope is soon. Hope you are settling in well.
Sharon it sounds like you are due for another visit soon. You have to see this, even an old NYer like me was impressed.
What a great project for an old railway line, I enjoyed the walk, with some great views and photos. That shed is amazing. I’ve just found your blog via Jeanie at Marmelade Gypsy. I’m so sorry to hear about you having to leave Greece. Greedy politicians and bankers cause so much misery. I hope you will be very happy in your new home.
Thank you so much Polly for your kind words. I am lucky to be returning to my childhood home so it is not as bad as that. But you are so right those politicians and bankers are the worst. And we are seeing no end to this mess.
I have a friend from high school who recently posted a bunch of photos of this on FB and it intrigued me, but I really loved all your commentary to help me understand it all better!
I have to admit Lisa, I didn’t understand half of what I was seeing till I got home and googled everything. It’s a good thing I had all those photos for reference.
I loved walking on the Highline when I lived in NY, Mary! They always seems to be expanding on it and adding new features and it looks different in different seasons The neighborhoods underneath are also fun to explore.
I’m glad you are adjusting to being back in NYC–so much to see and do there, that’s for sure!
I am having a blast Pat. It is like seeing NY with a new eye. Everything has changed so much!
Mary, Thanks so much for sharing your fascinating walking tour of the High Line. I had heard about it, but have not had an opportunity to check it out. I think it is such a great idea to turn something that could have just become another abandoned addition to urban blight into a park. I enjoyed seeing the sculptures and buildings you highlighted –many of which I had never seen before. I will make a point of walking the High Line next time I visit NYC.
I’m glad you enjoyed my tour Lisa. I would love to go back in the spring and see it all again from a different point of view.
Woah! I had no idea of all the history of the High Line! You are an excellent guide!
Thank you Gigi. I was so fascinated reading all about it. And there is still much more but I tried to limit myself before I bored all of you.