April 26, 2004

Seven star-studded teams have been selected as finalists in a competition to redesign the "High Line" -- a 1.45-mile-long elevated rail structure on Manhattan's west side, extending from Gansevoort Street to 34th Street. Built in the 1930s, the 6.7-acre line has been out-of-use since 1980. However, two years ago, the city of New York petitioned to convert the line to an elevated pedestrian walkway and public open space.

With the help of "Friends of the High Line," a non-profit organization, the city issued a request for proposal in March, resulting in the following short-listed firms: Field Operations with Diller + Scofidio + Renfro; Zaha Hadid Architects; Steven Holl Architects; Latz + Partner with The Saratoga Associates; Rogers Marvel Architects with Gustafson Guthrie Nichol; OpenMeshWork.ORG: OpenOffice with Mesh Architectures and Work Architecture Company; and, TerraGRAM: Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates with D.I.R.T. Studio and Beyer Blinder Belle.

ADVERTISEMENT

"This process will form the backbone of one of the most significant impacts of the Bloomberg Administration's redevelopment plans for Manhattan's west side, enhancing the desirability of West Chelsea and the Hudson Yards to the north, as well as serving as an attraction for visitors to New York City," said Amanda M. Burden, city planning director.

The seven teams will now prepare detailed plans for the line's conversion. Three finalists will then be chosen to prepare images with a final winner announced this summer.

"We estimate that project will cost roughly $65 million," said Robert Hammond, co-founder of Friends of the Line. "We would like to begin construction by the end of next year with completion staged over a couple years."

For more information visit the Friends of the High Line Web site at: http://www.thehighline.org.

Tony Illia