Friends Of The High Line Inc

FRIENDS OF THE HIGH LINE IS A NON-PROFIT PARK CONSERVANCY RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING AND OPERATING AN EXTRAORDINARY PUBLIC SPACE ON THE HIGH LINE. THE HIGH LINE IS A 1.45-MILE ELEVATED FREIGHT RAIL LINE TRANSFORMED INTO A PUBLIC PARK ON MANHATTAN'S WEST SIDE.

HIGH LINE OPERATIONS: IN 2021, FRIENDS OF THE HIGH LINE HAD YET ANOTHER YEAR OF EXCELLENT SAFETY RECORDS FOR OPERATIONS ACROSS THE ENTIRE PARK FROM GANSEVOORT STREET TO WEST 34TH STREET. PARK OPERATIONS CONTINUED TO INCLUDE COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOL IN ACCORDANCE WITH CDC AND NEW YORK STATE GUIDELINES. THE OPERATIONS TEAM CLEARED RECORD SNOWFALL, MAINTAINED TRASH REMOVALS (4,500 BAGS OF RECYCLING AND 17,000 BAGS OF TRASH), SUPPORTED THE RESUMING OPERATION OF THE FOOD PROGRAM, PUBLIC PROGRAMS, FUNDRAISING EVENTS, CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS AND ACTIVATIONS IN THE PARK. THE TEAM MANAGED GARDENS THROUGHOUT THE PARK INCLUDING PLANTING (1,000 PLANTS), WEEDING, PRUNING, WATERING, AND PLANT DEBRIS REMOVAL WITH OUR PUBLIC PARTNERS' COMPOSTING PROGRAM (150 CUBIC YARDS). THE PARK WELCOMED 2.7 MILLION VISITORS AND CONTINUED WITH A SEASONAL TIMED-ENTRY SYSTEM THAT HELPED PROVIDE SAFE AND EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCES FOR VISITORS AND STAFF. AS AN EFFORT TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMITMENT AS AN ORGANIZATION TO PARK EQUITY IN NYC, THE OPERATIONS TEAM DONATED AN ESTIMATED $95,000 IN VALUE OF PLANTS, CONCRETE PLANKS, AND TRASH CAN RECEPTACLES TO GREENTHUMB COMMUNITY GARDENS AND NYC PARKS DEPARTMENT.

PROGRAMMING, ART AND EDUCATION:IN 2021, FHL EXHIBITED THE WORK OF 45 ARTISTS IN THE PARK, THROUGH 6 VIDEO EXHIBITIONS, 10 SCULPTURE COMMISSIONS, 1 MURAL, 2 PERFORMANCES, 1 FESTIVAL, AND THE SECOND MONUMENTAL-SCALE SCULPTURE OF THE HIGH LINE PLINTH PROGRAM. IN ADDITION, THE ART DEPARTMENT EXHIBITED A SHORTLIST OF 12 MAQUETTES OF PROPOSED ARTWORKS FOR THE THIRD AND FOURTH HIGH LINE PLINTH COMMISSIONS. FHL CONTINUED TO GROW THE REACH OF THE HIGH LINE NETWORK--A STRATEGIC HUB FOR LEADERS REUSING INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS NORTH AMERICA. THE NETWORK SUPPORTED A COHORT OF MEMBERS TO UNDERGO AN EIGHT-MONTH RACIAL EQUITY TRAINING AND COACHING PROGRAM, BUILDING ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY AND EXPERTISE. THE EQUITABLE IMPACTS FRAMEWORK PILOT PROCESS WAS COMPLETED AFTER TWO YEARS, AND DEVELOPMENT FOR THE SUBSEQUENT PUBLICLY AVAILABLE COMMUNITY FIRST TOOLKIT BEGAN. THE NETWORK CONTINUED MONTHLY ENGAGEMENT WITH NETWORK MEMBERS TO SHARE AND LEARN AROUND CRITICAL ISSUES SHAPING PUBLIC SPACES TODAY. THE NETWORK ALSO LAUNCHED ITS FIRST SENIOR AND RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP TO SUPPORT LEADERS OF COLOR IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE REUSE FIELD.FHL CONTINUED TO GROW ITS EDUCATION EFFORTS THROUGH HIGH LINE TEENS, SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS, AND FAMILY PROGRAMS. FHL PROVIDED EMPLOYMENT CONSISTING OF TRAINING, MENTORSHIP, AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR 30 LOCAL TEENAGERS THROUGH ITS FLAGSHIP HIGH LINE TEENS PROGRAM. HIGH LINE TEEN STAFF HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCRUE UP TO 500 WORK HOURS EACH OVER THE COURSE OF A 9 MONTH PROGRAM. FHL ALSO OFFERED 8 MULTI-SESSION ART, SCIENCE AND DESIGN PROGRAMS AT NO COST TO FIVE PUBLIC SCHOOL PARTNERS. CURRICULUM WAS CREATED IN COLLABORATION WITH PARTNER CLASSROOM TEACHERS TO MAINTAIN EDUCATIONAL RIGOR AND, WHENEVER POSSIBLE, TO OFFER SCIENCE AND ART HIGH SCHOOL CREDITS TO STUDENTS TO SUPPORT THEM ON THEIR PATH TO GRADUATION. SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS PROVIDED OVER 150 DIRECT SERVICE HOURS TO STUDENTS AND EMPLOYED 3 TEACHING ARTISTS WHO MAINTAINED THEIR OWN PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE IN A VARIETY OF DISCIPLINES. IN THE SUMMER OF 2021, FHL HOSTED A SERIES OF 8 FAMILY PROGRAMS ON THE PARK FOR FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FEATURING HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES CENTERING ON THE THEMES OF WELLNESS AND HORTICULTURE. ALL PROGRAMS WERE DESIGNED AND STAFFED BY TEACHING ARTISTS AND HIGH LINE TEEN STAFF, SERVING AS PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE YOUTH. FAMILY PROGRAMS PROVIDED OVER 20 HOURS OF FREE ALL-AGES PROGRAMMING TO VISITORS ON THE HIGH LINE. FHL CONTINUED TO GROW THE IMPACT OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT BY BUILDING AND SUSTAINING RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS. PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITIES INCLUDED RELAUNCHING THE HIGH LINE NEIGHBORS COUNCIL, AN ADVISORY GROUP OF 15 COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO MET MONTHLY, PROVIDED INSIGHT AND FEEDBACK REGARDING HIGH LINE PRIORITIES, AND LAUNCHED THE FIRST ITERATION OF THE NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR FUND PARTICIPATORY GRANTMAKING INITIATIVE. THE PUBLIC SPACE ALLIANCE AND SUSTAINABLE GARDENS PROJECT PEER-TO-PEER NETWORK PROGRAMS CONTINUED TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SUPPORT TO 20 SITES, STRENGTHENING AND FOSTERING CONNECTIONS AMONG SMALL PARKS, GARDENS, AND ADAPTIVE REUSE PROJECTS ACROSS THE FIVE BOROUGHS OF NEW YORK CITY. VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING TARGETING OLDER ADULTS WAS PILOTED THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH A LOCAL SENIOR SERVICES ORGANIZATION. FHL ALSO WORKED WITH 128 VOLUNTEERS WHO SUPPORTED THE ORGANIZATION THROUGH 4,100 HOURS AS DOCENTS, GREETERS, HORTICULTURAL ASSISTANTS, AMBASSADORS, AND PHOTOGRAPHERS.

HIGH LINE PLANNING, CONSTRUCTION AND CAPITAL REPAIRS:IN 2021, FHL STARTED DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION WORK ON A MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECT, ADVANCED THE PLANNING AND DESIGN PHASES FOR ADDITIONAL SMALL AND LARGE-SCALE PROJECTS, AND COMPLETED A RANGE OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ON THE EXISTING HIGH LINE.FHL STARTED ONE OF ITS MOST AMBITIOUS CAPITAL PROJECTS IN 2021. FRIENDS OF THE HIGH LINE, ALONG WITH EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT CORP. AND BROOKFIELD PROPERTIES, DEVELOPED PLANS FOR THE HIGH LINE X MOYNIHAN CONNECTOR PROJECT. DESIGN WORK STARTED IN JANUARY 2021 AND WAS COMPLETED BY SEPTEMBER; A MAJORITY OF THE PROJECT'S AGENCY APPROVALS WERE IN PLACE BY THE END OF THE YEAR. THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT TEAM INITIATED THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS LATE 2021 AND THE PROJECT FOUNDATIONS BROKE GROUND IN FEBRUARY 2022. THIS IS AN EXCITING PROJECT FOR FHL AND ONE THAT WE LOOK FORWARD TO COMPLETING AND OPENING TO THE PUBLIC IN SPRING 2023.PLANNING AND DESIGN WORK CONTINUED FOR A NUMBER OF CRITICAL REPAIR AND REHABILITATION PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THESE PROJECTS INCLUDED THE RESTORATION OF THE LAWN AT 22ND ST, PLANTING AND PAVING AREAS AT THE SUNDECK, AND RECONSTRUCTION OF A PLYWOOD WALL STRUCTURE AT THE 14TH ST PASSAGE SPACE. IN LATE 2021, FHL ADVANCED THE APPROVALS AND PROCUREMENT PROCESS FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE STAIRS AT 20TH, 26TH, AND 28TH STREETS; CONSTRUCTION IS SCHEDULED TO START AT THE END OF AUGUST 2022. LASTLY, FHL MANAGED THE DESIGN AND APPROVAL PROCESS FOR OUR NEW RESTAURANT TENANT AT 820 WASHINGTON ST.