A new debate has emerged, starting from a source very close to the project, about the effects of the High Line in New York City.

Criticisms of the High Line have ben far less frequent and much younger than the heaps of praise offered the transformative project. Much more common than concerns about gentrification or displacement, were willing imitations of the many of the component ideas at work on the High Line—an elevated structure given to pedestrians, a focus on plantings, community ownership of public space and much more.
In an article by Laura Bliss for CityLab, however, Robert Hammond, one of the co-founders of the Friends of the High Line and the current executive director of the organization, echoes some of the criticisms of the High Line. In his own words, as quoted in the article, Hammond says: "We were from the community. We wanted to do it for the neighborhood," adding, "Ultimately, we failed."
According to Bliss, Hammond and the Friends of the High Line are "course correcting," adding paid listening sessions, paid jobs-training programs, and new events, like a summer series of Latin dance parties.
But, writes Bliss, "there’s a lot the High Line could have done before it opened that it can’t make up for now. Its designers might have paid stronger attention to a few basic principles of attractive public spaces, and specifically those that attract low-income and minority park-users." The limited number of access points and the long list of prohibitions posted around the park provide two examples of design decisions that have produced predictable results. "Perhaps more critically, Friends of the High Line could have worked harder from the start to advocate for affordable housing," adds Bliss.
Bliss writes a lot more on the subject, also examining other public space projects around the city to show that the High Line's example has helped other advocates and designers avoid the same mistakes.
Steve Cuozzo, writing for the New York Post, takes umbrage with the characterization of the High Line as a failure, however. "[Hammond's baffling stroke of creator’s remorse lent dubious gravitas to the High Line Backlash," writes Cuozzo.
Cuozzo recounts criticisms of the project in recent years, offered by Mayor Bill de Blasio and the head of the tenants association at the nearby lower-income Fulton House project, describing them as "ridiculous" and "idiotic." Cuozzo's concluding thought: "I hope Hammond stops blaming himself for 'failure' and accepts that he helped bring forth a true wonder of our age."
FULL STORY: The High Line's Next Balancing Act

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

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

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

Why a Failed ‘Smart City’ Is Still Relevant
A Google-backed proposal to turn an underused section of Toronto waterfront into a tech hub holds relevant lessons about privacy and data.

When Sears Pioneered Modular Housing
Kit homes sold in catalogs like Sears and Montgomery Ward made homeownership affordable for midcentury Americans.

Starting in 2026, You Can Charge Your EV at Waffle House
The 24-hour chain infamous for brawls and, to a lesser extent, waffles plans to install fast-chargers at many of its locations.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions