The High Line
At New York’s High Line, place development came before property development.
When this disused railway track was bought up in the early 2000s, it was little more than an abandoned strip of elevated land in a run-down city neighbourhood. The structure was set for demolition.
Yet the joint visions of James Corner Field Operations, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and Piet Oudolf, completely transformed the future of this place.
Combining urban design with landscaping and ecology, the visionaries created one of New York City’s most talked about tourist attractions: a 1.5-mile, elevated walk through midtown Manhattan.
Even more striking is the impact the High Line has had on its surroundings. Once an overlooked, undervalued part of New York, the areas around the High Line have since seen lowered crime rates, increased footfall, and at least 15 new local developments gracing the skies – including Heatherwick Studio's distinctive ‘Lantern House’.
Meanwhile, property prices have increased on average by 10% in the area – just going to show that sometimes, investment in place pays off.
