Take the 'Green Line': Design Firm Pitches 40-Block Park on Broadway in New York

Perkins Eastman has created a splashy proposal for a linear, at-grade park running along a long stretch of one of New York's most famous avenues.

1 minute read

December 18, 2015, 1:00 PM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Alan G. Brake details a highly conceptual proposal that would "would see New York's iconic Broadway converted into a linear park running from Columbus Circle to Union Square." The architecture firm Perkins Eastman created the proposal, citing the benefits to pedestrians and cyclists, as well as to the city's stormwater infrastructure. "Based on the success of the High Line, the designers argue the proposal would increase property values and therefore would pay for itself," adds Brake.

Brake also notes that New York City is experiencing a bit of a park design moment riding on the heels of the High Line's success. Design proposals for the Lowline, the Big U around Lower Manhattan, and a $170 million proposal to makeover Pier 54

The news caught the attention of other urban design-focused publications. Kriston Capps writes for CityLab that the proposal combines two of the "best-loved" land use projects of the Bloomberg era in New York City: the High Line and closing Times Square to cars.

Writing for The Architect's Newspaper, Audrey Wachs notes the project's "Bilbao Effect" ambitions (i.e., "culture-led revitalization of a postindustrial city driven by a single institution housed in a starchitect-designed complex…").

Friday, December 11, 2015 in Dezeen

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

July 11 - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

July 11 - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

July 11 - Cities Today