Developers Hope The High Line Will Be The New Central Park
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Come spring, it will not only be flowers that will blossom along the High Line, but also apartment buildings.
The skyline along the far west side of Chelsea is dotted with cranes and construction sites, as developers take advantage of one of Manhattan's final frontiers.
Glauco Lolli-Ghetti is the one of the developers of 200 Eleventh Avenue. When West Chelsea was rezoned, he set his sights on the waterfront property, frequently wooing the lots previous owner with cannolis and a vision for the area.
"I just saw the river view, the air and light, the High Line, the Hudson River Park and the galleries," recalls Lolli-Ghetti. "I think this area will be a landmark area. I think architectural students from all over the world will be coming here."
Eric Zollinger of Related Companies agrees. One of their buildings, the Caledonia, was constructed directly above the 10th Avenue Square. While rentals are still available, he says the condominiums sold out long before the building, or the High Line, were complete.
"What we're seeing is an infusion of energy, of people that aren't finding this just a location to go to at nighttime but a place to live, work, play," says Zollinger.
HL23 is one of the few new structures being built adjacent to the High Line. Its sales trailer is nestled directly below it. It seems developers are eager to connect themselves to the future park, literally and figuratively.
"This whole culture has developed around the High Line as a new park," says Lisa Switkin, design project manager. "People are calling it this generation's Central Park, so it's become something that a lot of people are behind."
Builders by the High Line are hoping their proximity to this newest ribbon of green will prove equally as popular as Central Park.
"If you're a block away from Central Park, that's enough," says Lolli-Ghetti. "So I think it does add or create value for real estate in the surrounding area."
"When the High Line opens in the spring, most assuredly those prices are gong to increase from where they were originally," says Zollinger. "This is the downtown Central Park most assuredly."