Near the Williamsburg Bridge and next to the Essex Street subway on Delancey Street is an underground one-acre expanse. That very land, dormant for the past 60 years, has long been conceived by Dan Barasch, a strategist previously with Google and the City of New York, and architect James Ramsey as a park — called the Lowline (inspired by the Highline). The duo finally received a nod of approval from the city which had issued an RFP earlier this year for development.
The Lowline, as the only submission, was the uncontested winner, and if completed, will be the world’s first underground park, running underneath Delancey between Clinton and Norfolk streets.
Like the High Line, which has been a smashing success with locals and tourists, the Lowline would capitalize on the current vogue for preserving decaying infrastructure. But unlike the High Line where visitors can enjoy fresh air and light, the Low Line will be relying on the latest solar technology to create a lush zone of year-round fertility. If this does become a reality, it will be especially welcome in a part of the city that lacks green spaces relative to other parts of Manhattan.