Document text
3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Bybee Creek fire jumps into Crater Lake caldera ... Fire damages White City mobile home ... Emergency Services, August 2 ... Bybee Creek fire jumps into Crater Lake caldera ... Fire damages White City mobile home ... Emergency Services, August 2 ... New York City is building a subterranean park He pictures locals parading down flights of stairs to be confronted by stalagmites of ferns, bromeliads, and mosses in sunken spaces flooded with light. It surely sounds fantastical, but New York City is one step closer to a year-round subterranean park. Comment By Jessica Leigh Hester, CityLab Business Insider MailTribune.com By Jessica Leigh Hester, CityLab Business Insider Posted Aug. 1, 2016 at 1:22 PM By Jessica Leigh Hester, CityLab Business Insider Posted Aug. 1, 2016 at 1:22 PM » Social News Dan Barasch envisions verdant gardens below New York City’s concrete and asphalt. He pictures locals parading down flights of stairs to be confronted by stalagmites of ferns, bromeliads, and mosses in sunken spaces flooded with light. It surely sounds fantastical, but New York City is one step closer to a year-round subterranean park now that the Lowline, a one-acre underground green space, has received a preliminary go-ahead from city officials. On Wednesday, the city’s Economic Development Corporation designated the Lowline as the developer approved to work on plans for the decommissioned trolley terminal beneath the Williamsburg Bridge. During the early 20th century, the site was a turnaround point for trolleys, but has been disused since 1948. In the interim, the space above ground has transformed into one of the densest pockets in a city already strapped for space. Barasch, the Lowline’s co-founder and executive director, wondered what might happen if developers built down, instead of up. To prove the premise—an underground park sustained by light siphoned from the sidewalks—Barasch and his collaborators set up a prototype in a former warehouse space two blocks north of the park’s prospective future home. In the Lowline Lab , sunlight streams from a solar canopy mounted above 3,000 plants, including fruit that flourishes with no regard for the season. Inside, there were plump strawberries ready to be picked in March; a rambling mint patch was overgrown in the middle of December. The result, says Barasch, is a pleasantly puzzling sense of being completely immersed in a botanic garden in the midst of an urban area. But before the project can move forward, the creators will need respond to any public concerns by convening presentations, hosting site tours, and speaking before the local community board, which pledged support last December. This process “is like getting a blessing of the community,” says Stephanie Báez, the vice president of public affairs at the New York City Economic Development Corporation. “If they get a thumbs-up from everyone, that’s another check in the box,” she adds. The team will also have 12 months to drum up $10 million in backing, and draw schematics that outline the sustainable mechanisms that will keep the project afloat. Barasch says that the underground space bears traces of its former life; cobblestones and cables remain fixed to the floor and ceiling. “It’s like a fossil in amber,” he says. The solar technology, Barasch adds, could transform the space from a relic to chimera. By directing light down into the tunnel—similar to a magnifying glass throwing light—“we deliver this futuristic technology that invigorates the space and makes it like something completely unknown,” he says. By Jessica Leigh Hester, CityLab Business Insider MailTribune.com By Jessica Leigh Hester, CityLab Business Insider Posted Aug. 1, 2016 at 1:22 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top ERROR: Object template cce_3 is missing! ERROR: Object template cce_3 is missing! ERROR: Object template cce_3 is missing! ERROR: Object template cce_3 is missing! ERROR: Object template cce_3 is missing! ERROR: Object template cce_3 is missing! ERROR: Object template cce_3 is missing! ERROR: Object template cce_3 is missing! Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501