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Peter Obletz Essay

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Where many saw an unpleasantly heavy steel structure that once supported an elevated rail line, Peter Obletz, did not. Obletz was many things, an activist, Metropolitan Transportation Authority consultant (which sparked his interest in the High Line), and chairman on the Community Board 4. He saw potential in the High Line, which was no longer active in 1982 when he saw it, one day while exploring an abandoned section of the once elevated rail. That trip began his fight in the 1970s. He challenged groups of property owners for ten years, arguing, raising money, and working hard to cultivate this disused space into a dream come true. In 1984 he purchased the High Line for ten dollars from the Conrail company. Obletz wanted to carry commuters …show more content…

Friends of the High Line fought for the High Line’s preservation and transformation at a time when the historic structure was under the threat of demolition. They came together to recreate the High Line into an open space for the public to walk “above the city”. Yet it was not until 2002 to 2003 they began to figure out how they wanted to reuse the already existing framework without altering too much. The best way to say money and truly preserve the High Line’s historical figure was by planning around the rail line. The architecture firm that helped was James Corner Field Operations, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and Piet Oudolf were the designers responsible for the plants. In 2005 the City of New York took ownership of the High Line making it non profit, but it remained in the Friends of the High Line. They work with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation to make sure the High Line is maintained as a public space for all visitors to enjoy. In addition to overseeing, Friends of the High Line worked to raise funds to support the park's yearly budget. The first section of the High Line opened to the public in June 2009 and the second followed two years after that same month. The budget would also support the transformation of the Rail Yards, the final section. In 2012 with the approval of the New York City Planning Commission the Rail Yards

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