high line extension proposed to connect to new york's penn station

new york governor andrew cuomo has announced a proposal to extend the high line to give pedestrians access to the elevated park from the moynihan train hall — the hub that recently opened as an expansion of the pennsylvania station complex. the extension seeks to create more pedestrian-friendly and safer connections through midtown west. a second phase will extend the northwestern end of the high line, which currently terminates at 34th street and 12th avenue, northward past the javits center before turning west to cross the west side highway and end at pier 76.

image courtesy of office of governor cuomo, via the new york times

the news was first reported by the new york times, with an official announcement following from the governor’s office. as part of a public-private partnership, brookfield properties will join forces with empire state development, the port authority of new york and new jersey, and friends of the high line to build an L-shaped connection from the 10th avenue terminus of the high line to brookfield’s manhattan west.

the project will extend the park eastward at 10th avenue and 30th street along dyer avenue to the mid-block between 9th and 10th avenues, at which point it will turn north and connect into the elevated public space of manhattan west. this space would then terminate on 9th avenue directly across from the entrance to the farley building and the new moynihan train hall.

walk-through from the moynihan train hall to manhattan west | video courtesy of brookfield properties

‘the central element of brookfield’s manhattan west complex will be a 2-acre landscaped public plaza that will be surrounded by 240,000 square feet of curated restaurants and shops and enlivened year round with public events, art installations and an ice rink programmed, in part, by the NHL,’ explains ben brown, managing partner, brookfield property group. ‘the high line extension, which will link the new moynihan train hall to the manhattan west plaza and the rest of the high line, will be a major addition to the entire area, making it easier and more enjoyable for pedestrians to access and navigate manhattan west and the neighborhood as a whole.’

view from the second level of manhattan west | image courtesy of brookfield properties

‘we are eager to work with the governor’s office and brookfield properties to explore this exciting opportunity,’ says friends of the high line. ‘we see it as an extension of the work we’ve been championing for over 20 years. the governor’s announcement represents a shared vision to expand the ways we connect the neighborhoods, institutions, businesses, parks, and transportation hubs that define manhattan’s west side. it’s still early days and there’s much work to be done before this vision is realized. we look forward to working with the state and our neighbors over the coming months to advance this unique public access project.’ see more news and projects relating to the high line on designboom here.