Where can you put another park in Manhatten? In a city where space is at a premium the team behind the Delancey Underground project has the goal to convert an underground unused trolley terminal beneath Delancey Street into a public park that has been nicknamed the “LowLine.”
The location of the new park is the Williamsburg Trolley Terminal that opened in 1903 and was in service until 1948 when streetcar service was discontinued. It has been unused for over 60 years and is next to an existing subway track – so that future park visitors and subway riders will interact daily. The project has been inspired by the success of another unusual park called the High Line, which is a public park built on an historic freight rail line and is elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side.
Plans for the park are to transform the 60,000 square feet (1.5 acres) of terminal space into a park space by using new green. Central to the design is the use of solar technology that uses innovative fiber optics to reflect light underground which saves electricity and reduces carbon emissions. It also creates an environment where plants, trees, and grasses can thrive indoors.
Digital rendering of the space shows a unique space where trees, cobblestone floors, and state of the art fiber optics create a unique environment. Currently the project is seeking funding to develop a demo of the solar technology and to create a model of the community park. The team behind the project did a Kickstarter campaign and raised $155,186 by theirgoal date of April 6th.
Plans for the park are to have community events in the space including art exhibitions, farmers’ markets, lectures, and events. More images of the project can be seen at the Delancey Underground website and also at the Kickstarter project page.
Image Source:
delanceyunderground.org
Links:
Kickstarter Page – lowline-an-underground-park-on-nycs-lower-east-side