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A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization |
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FHL E-Mail Newsletter
January 13, 2004
NEW
YEAR UPDATE: 2004 PLANS AND 2003 ACHIEVEMENTS
Friends of the High Line made major progress
in 2003. The High Line's conversion to public space isn't a "done
deal" yet—we still need to secure essential state
and federal endorsements. But thanks to help from supporters
like you, we've gotten much closer to creating a public
space of unprecedented innovation and beauty atop this one-of-a-kind
structure. Below, FHL's plans for 2004, and our achievements
in 2003.
2004 PLANS
"Trail Use" Agreement: In
2004 FHL will be working to assist transfer of control of the
High Line from
CSX,
the railroad that currently controls it, to the City of New
York for reuse as public open space. On July 24, FHL testified
with the City of New York before the Surface Transportation
Board (STB) in support of rail-banking the Line. (Rail-banking
is the federal mechanism that allows rail corridors to be
preserved as trails.) On October 2, the City filed a request
to the STB to hold the matter in abeyance while the City
holds discussions with affected stakeholders to resolve outstanding
issues. The STB originally granted the request for an abeyance
until January 5, 2004, and has since extended it to April
5, 2004. FHL hopes the negotiations in progress will ultimately
pave the way for rail-banking. We will keep you updated on
all relevant developments via this e-mail newsletter.
Design
Master Plan: From its inception, FHL has dedicated itself to
making the High Line as beautiful and original
as the best public spaces in the world. FHL held a competition
in 2003 to catalyze the creation of visionary ideas. Now
we start the process of creating a master plan that embodies
the creative spirit of the best competition entries but is
also buildable, maintainable, and economically rational.
During 2004, FHL and its partners, including the City of
New York, will manage the creation of a comprehensive and
realistic design master plan, one that covers the landscape
on the High Line's upper deck, access, lighting, security,
and programming.
Creating the design master plan will be a
complex endeavor, involving architects, landscape architects,
engineers, and
numerous other experts. FHL is now working with the City
of New York to determine the precise structure and timetable
of the design process. As it is currently envisioned, a Request
for Qualifications (RFQ) will start the master plan process.
This
will be followed by a Request
for Proposals (RFP). Based on responses to the RFP, a design
team will be selected and that team will develop a master
plan that includes a comprehensive design vision for the
Line as whole and as well as a highly detailed proposal of
one segment of the Line.
FHL will issue regular announcements and updates
about the design process through this e-mail newsletter.
State
Endorsement: The State of New York has not yet endorsed the
reuse of the High Line for public open space. Winning
state approval is a key priority for FHL in 2004.
2003 ACHIEVEMENTS
Change in Policy: The year began with a new,
pro-High Line policy from the City of New York. The policy
change was signaled
by the City's legal petition to the Surface Transportation
Board (STB) in Washington requesting the start of the federal "rail-banking" process,
which would allow the High Line to be used as public open
space.
Design Competition: In January 2003, FHL launched
Designing the High Line, an open, international ideas competition,
soliciting forward-thinking proposals for the structure's
reuse. 720 individuals and teams from 36 countries submitted
proposals. These were evaluated by a renowned panel of jurors
in May 2003, displayed at Grand Central Terminal in July
2003, and viewed by over 100,000 people. All 720 entries
can be viewed
online at http://www.thehighline.org/competition/.
Funding: On July 9, New York City Council Speaker Gifford Miller announced
a $15.75 million funding commitment for
capital costs related to the High Line's conversion
to public space.
STB Hearing: On July 24, FHL testified with
the City of New York before the Surface Transportation Board
(STB) in
support of rail-banking the Line. (Rail-banking is the federal
mechanism that allows rail corridors to be preserved as trails.)
City Council Speaker Gifford Miller, Deputy Mayor Daniel
Doctoroff, and City Planning Commission Chair Amanda Burden
all appeared to testify. It was the first time the City supported
the High Line project in such a public and coordinated manner.
The STB is holding the matter in abeyance until April 5,
2004, while the City meets with CSX and other stakeholders
to resolve outstanding issues.
Historic District: On September
9, the Landmarks Preservation Commission gave landmark designation
to the Gansevoort Market
Historic District, one of three neighborhoods linked by the
High Line. Mayor Bloomberg said the designation, along with
the High Line's reuse, were at the "core of the
administration's plans" to "revitalize
the Far West Side". In late-December, 2003, FHL moved
its office to the newly-designated historic district.
Community Input
Forum: On October 28, FHL convened a meeting with 400 community
participants to review proposals created
in the Designing the High Line competition, share ideas,
express priorities, and determine a set of community design
goals. To see a summary
of the forum, go to: http://www.thehighline.org/communityforum_102803.pdf
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NEW
ADDRESS & PHONE FOR FRIENDS OF THE HIGH LINE
Friends of the High Line (FHL) has moved to a new office.
Please update your records to reflect our new mailing address
and new telephone and fax numbers:
Friends of the High Line
430 West 14th Street, Suite 304
New York, NY 10014
Phone: (212) 206-9922
Fax: (212) 206-9118
E-Mail: info@thehighline.org
FHL wishes to thank Hudson Guild
for housing our offices for the last 18 months—an important period in our growth.
Hudson Guild is a vital community organization providing
much-needed services to the Chelsea neighborhood. The Guild
just began an extensive renovation of its West 26th Street
facility. This has forced the Guild's staff, as well
as FHL, to find new quarters.
FHL has become a stronger organization with greater ties
to the community around the High Line by working in the
diverse, culturally rich environment created by Hudson
Guild. Our gratitude goes out to Executive Director Janice
McGuire and the entire Hudson Guild staff.
For more information
about Hudson Guild, go to: http://www.hudsonguild.org
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JOIN
PHOTOGRAPHER JOEL STERNFELD AT LAUNCH OF TRACK HEADS, NEW SERIES
OF HIGH LINE GET-TOGETHERS. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 6:30 PM
6:30
pm – 7:30 pm: Gallery Hour with Joel Sternfeld
Luhring Augustine Gallery, 531 West 24th Street (10th & 11th Avenues)
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm: Drinks at Marquee (cash bar, drinks half-price)
289 10th Avenue (between 26th & 27th Streets)
RSVP
suggested but not required (you will not recieve a confirmation).
About Track Heads: FHL is launching Track Heads, a new series of High
Line get-togethers, to give everyone with an interest in the High Line an opportunity
to meet other supporters, FHL staff, and the exciting creative individuals who
are part of this historic effort. Track Heads events are not fundraisers but
social gatherings designed to be fun, interesting, and casual. FHL will try to
keep Track Heads events free or at a discounted price. "Track Heads" is
a railroad term. It refers to the top of the rail, where the steel meets the
wheels.
About Joel Sternfeld: Many FHL supporters know Sternfeld
for his High Line images, but the work of this great American
photographer over the last 30 years has encompassed a global
range of subjects. "American Prospects and Before" presents
gorgeous, new, large-format prints of his celebrated photographs
of the American landscape in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
For information on Sternfeld and this exhibition, go to http://www.luhringaugustine.com.
About Marquee: Noah Tepperberg's and Jason Strauss's
just-opened lounge on 10th Avenue, backing up to the High
Line, was designed by Philip Johnson/Alan Ritchie Architects
and has been regularly mentioned in New York social columns
because of its high-profile clientele. Marquee will be opening
its Red Room early on Wednesday, January 28, and offering
half-price drinks just for this gathering.
Upcoming Track Heads Events: For upcoming months,
Track Heads events will include drinks and dinner at Florent,
the beloved restaurant in the Gansevoort Market Historic
District, ice-skating at Chelsea Piers, a visit to the Armory
Show (the International Fair of New Art), roller-skating
at the Roxy, a picnic in Hudson River Park, and a boat tour
on the historic John J. Harvey fireboat. We hope that these
will give everyone interested in the High Line a chance to
meet the other great people who support this exciting urban
open-space project.
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NOW
AVAILABLE: SUMMARY OF HIGH LINE COMMUNITY INPUT FORUM; COPIES
OF DESIGN COMPETITION PUBLICATION
Input
Session Summary: On October 28, 2003, 400 people came
to the High Line Community Input Forum to offer their input
on design goals for the High Line. A summary
of the forum,
including design goals and quoted comments, can be downloaded
at http://www.thehighline.org/communityforum_102803.pdf
Design Competition Publication: FHL recently
published Designing the High Line: Ideas for Reclaiming
1.5 Miles of Manhattan, featuring 29 entries from this year's
open, international design competition. The large-format
(11" x 16"), four-color, 37-page, soft-cover
publication was designed by Pentagram and sponsored by New
York State Council on the Arts and Viacom Outdoor. It's
available for just $5 at these New York City booksellers:
192
Books
192 Tenth Avenue (at 21st Street)
New York, NY 10011
(212) 255-4022
http://www.192books.com
Printed Matter, Inc
535 West 22nd Street (between 10th & 11th Avenues)
New York, NY 10011
(212) 925-0325
http://www.printedmatter.org
Urban Center Books
457 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022
(212) 935-3592
http://www.urbancenterbooks.org
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SUPPORT
LETTERS NEEDED FOR HUDSON RIVER PARK FUNDS
Friends
of Hudson River Park (FoHRP) has been working hard for the
past year to secure $70 million
from the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation to build the
Tribeca section of Hudson River Park.
FoHRP asks your support
to help secure these funds. All concerned New Yorkers to should
send a letter and/or a fax
to John Whitehead, Chair of the LMDC, with copies of the
message sent to the Governor Pataki and Mayor Bloomberg.
Please
help FoHRP secure funds for this beautiful park. For sample
text and addresses of who to mail, fax, and/or
e-mail, please follow the directions provided by FoHRP president
Al Butzel by clicking here.
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WEDNESDAY,
JANUARY 14, 6:30 PM: WORLD TRADE CENTER DISCUSSION AT 192 BOOKS
Wednesday,
January 14, 6:30pm - 8:00pm, 192 Books will host a discussion
with James Glanz and Eric Lipton, authors of City in the
Sky: The Rise and Fall of the World Trade Center (Henry Holt,
2003). 192 Tenth Avenue (at 21st Street). For more information,
go to http://www.192books.com.
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THANKS
TO LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT HELP THE HIGH LINE
Telebeam: The
telephone system in FHL's new office was generously donated
by Telebeam Systems, Inc. Telebeam and its affiliates are communications
companies specializing in digital business systems, voice mail
systems, and "interactive media portals"—sidewalk
kiosks that combine phone service with Internet, video e-mail,
print-out capabilities, and tourist and emergency information
services. For more information about Telebeam, go to http://www.telebeam.com.
Parke & Ronen: Our thanks out to Parke & Ronen,
the stylish West Chelsea boutique one block east of the High
Line, for helping us publicize our recent benefit. Parke & Ronen
is currently having a 50% - 70% OFF sale on selected merchandise.
176 Ninth Avenue, (20th-21st Street). (212) 989-4245. For more
information, go to http://www.parkeandronen.com.
192 Books: 192 Books offered FHL much-needed assistance
publicizing the Community Input Forum in October. This independent
bookstore, owned by longtime FHL supporters Paula Cooper
and Jack Macrae, is just across Tenth Avenue from the High
Line at 21st Street. It is also one of the few locations
where Designing the High Line, the soft-cover publication
of 29 design ideas for the High Line's reuse, is sold ($5).
On Wednesday, January 14, 6:30pm - 8:00pm, 192 Books will
host a discussion with James Glanz and Eric Lipton, authors
of City in the
Sky: The Rise and Fall of the World Trade Center (Henry Holt,
2003). 192 Tenth Avenue (at 21st Street). For more information,
go to http://www.192books.com.
crobar: Many thanks to crobar for hosting our fabulous
December 12 benefit in their VIP room the very first night
they were open to the public. It was a fabulous event! This
new, hip nightclub is on West 28th Street, just west of the
High Line. Upcoming private events include parties for artists
like Dennis Oppenheim, a variety of musicians, and a party
honoring Elvis Presley's birthday. For more club information
and to get on Crobar's list, go to http://www.crobar.com.
For more information about special events at Crobar, call
Lee Blumer at (917) 339-1809.
Metropolitan Pavilion: The great success of our October
28 High Line Community Input Forum, which was attended by
over 400 members of the greater High Line community, was
due largely to the generosity and support of Metropolitan
Pavilion.
Metropolitan Pavilion is Manhattan's premier medium-sized event space, offering
3 rooms in one location. Winner of Event Solution Magazine's Spotlight Award
for 2003's Best National Event Space, Metropolitan Pavilion is an ideal place
for parties. It can accommodate events for 50 to 1,600 guests. Its street-level
space features polished oak floors and original turn-of-the-century architectural
highlights. Its 4th floor Gallery is an intimate space with a gleaming white
epoxy resin floor. It gets natural sunlight from 3 sides. Learn more at http://www.metropolitanevents.com,
or call Fred at (212) 463-0071. Mention that you're a Friend of the High Line.
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DONATE
TO FRIENDS OF THE HIGH LINE
Though
the future of the High Line looks much brighter now that the
City of New York stands firmly behind efforts to create a great
new public space on the structure, we still face many legal
and financial challenges. By making an online donation, you
will become part of an ever-growing group of supporters and
will be invited to every major Friends of the High Line public
event.
CLICK
THE BUTTON! |
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CLICK
THE BUTTON! |
Click
the DONATE button above and fill in the secure form
to donate online by check or credit card (American
Express, Discover, Mastercard and Visa). Friends of the
High Line uses PayPal,
which lets any individual or business with an e-mail address
securely send donations online.
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CONTACT
INFORMATION
430 West 14th Street, Suite 304
New York, NY 10014
(212) 206-9922
(212) 206-9118 fax
info@thehighline.org
http://www.thehighline.org
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