When you think of a trip to New York City, you probably think Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty, Broadway and Central Park. In 2020 there will be another reason to visit: the Lowline. The Lowline is the city’s first underground park and it’ll be located “beneath Delancey St. in New York City in a 60,000 square foot trolley station that was built in 1903,” PBS reports.
Dan Barasch and James Ramsey are behind the project and so far they’re growing thyme, sage, pineapples and more. Right now the project is in prototype mode, under the name Lowline Lab, at 140 Essex St. in the city.
The project tracks the sun using heliostats to “collect sunlight from the exterior, drive it into a concentrating mechanism and then redistribute it to plants underground,” according to PBS. Botanists and neighborhood community leaders were consulted for the project to determine which plants would grow best underground and if the idea would be a viable endeavor.
Barasch told PBS, “People started hopping on board with the idea and saying, let’s really advocate for it.”
The next step for Lowline is to raise $70 million. The money will be used for the technology that’s needed for the project. PBS reports that the team has already received pledges totally several million dollars.
Even though the Lowline won’t be open for a few more years, you can visit the prototype, Lowline Lab. It’s located at 140 Essex St. in New York City and is open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For additional information, visit the Lowline website.
