Department of City Planning kicks off public review process to authorize City acquisition of the
High Line’s remaining section.

Supporters of the High Line celebrated today as the Department of City Planning certified an
application to begin the public review process to allow the City acquire the final section of the
elevated structure. This announcement marks the beginning of the City’s Uniform Land Use
Review Procedure (ULURP), a seven-month process of community and government review. After
the ULURP is complete, the City will be authorized to move forward with acquisition of the historic
High Line structure as it runs the perimeter of the West Side Rail Yards.
The certification of this application, submitted by the Department of Parks & Recreation, is a
critical step by the Bloomberg administration toward the preservation of the historic High Line
structure, and the extension of the popular elevated park north of 30th Street.
Today’s announcement follows another major step for the High Line at the Rail Yards, taken in
December, 2009, when the City approved the Western Rail Yards Rezoning. The rezoning
contains requirements that the High Line west of 11th Avenue be used for public open space, as
well as stipulations for the ways in which future buildings can interact with the High Line. Taken
together, these two actions pave the way for integrating the historic structure into the future
development at the Rail Yards.
The non-profit Friends of the High Line has been advocating for full preservation of the historic
High Line structure north of 30th Street since the planning process for the redevelopment of this
site began several years ago. The group has worked along with the administration of Mayor
Michael R. Bloomberg, the MTA and the Empire State Development Corporation, the state
agencies that own the underlying land, and The Related Companies, the site’s developer, to
ensure that the High Line is included in plans for the site.
The High Line south of 30th Street is already owned by the City of New York, and is under the
jurisdiction of the Department of Parks & Recreation. This section was donated by CSX
Transportation, Inc. in 2005, following a public review process similar to the one beginning today.
The southernmost part of the structure opened in June, 2009 as a public park.
Once the ULURP process is complete, the City will be authorized to acquire the High Line north
of 30th Street.
On receiving word of the announcement, Friends of the High Line’s Chairman John Alschuler
said, “We are extremely pleased that the City is taking this important first step towards ownership
of the High Line’s iconic Rail Yards section. Through continued community advocacy, and
continued collaboration with the City, the MTA, and the Related Companies, we are confident that
this historic structure will be transformed into a great public space to be treasured by generations
to come.”