New York City Plans An Underground Park Called Lowline In 2021

In the next five years, Lowline, an underground park is set to be finished in 2021 at an abandoned trolley close to Williamsburg Bridge on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

In July, the underground park plan was approved and in September, the founders released their $83 million proposal to the public, reported by Travel + Leisure.

According to New York Times, the nonprofit group has been experimenting with solar technology for years, so they propose to brighten the underground space with sunlight gathered by high-tech panels above ground.

The underground park called Lowline will feature a year round garden with vegetables and herbs. The group known as the Underground Development Foundation will also exhibit parts of the original terminal, U-shaped trolley tracks, old booth, cobblestone floor as well as new playing and seating areas.

The deputy mayor for housing and economic development, Alicia Glen, said that the undergound park proposal would create more public space in the neighborhood and it has already caught the attention of city officials, developers and urban planners as far as London, Moscow, Paris and Seoul.

Lowline project received different reactions from the public, some were intrigued by the idea of having an underground park and others were concerned about the chances of encountering stale air or rats and other pests below.

The executive director of the Lowline, Dan Barasch, stated that a ventilation system will be an addition to the garden to freshen the air plus a full-time security on site.

Furthermore, the park would be kept well-maintained to avoid rodent infestations.

It is reported that the Lowline still faces difficulties and would not open until 2021. The New York City Economic Development Corporation has granted the Underground Development Foundation to submit detailed design and get at least $10 million until July.

As stated on the Lowline's website, "The Lowline aims to build a new kind of public space- one that highlights the historic elements of a former trolley terminal while introducing cutting-edge solar technology and design, enabling plants and trees to grow underground."