GARDENS
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Thirty feet above the streets of Manhattan ’ s West Side is The High Line , a unique and extraordinary public space for all to enjoy . It occupies the space where the original 1930s freight rail structure was elevated to remove dangerous trains that delivered milk , meat , produce and raw materials to factories . Today , thanks to the Friends of the High Line who pushed for preservation and transformation , the site is now a public park owned by the city of New York and operated by the Friends of the High Line .
In 1999 , Mayor Rudolph Giuliani ’ s administration led an effort to demolish the elevated railway . Neighborhood residents described it as dangerous and dark , a blight on the neighborhood . At the same time , CSX , who owned the property , asked for proposals on how to best use the rail trail .
23rd Street Lawn , the northern end of the 4900 square foot lawn peels up over West 23rd Street , looking West , toward the Hudson River . © Iwan Baan , 2011 .
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