In a recent article, the New York Times spends takes a walk in Manhattan with renowned Urban Designer Alex Garvin, whose “Emerald Necklace” study was critical to the early success of turning the Atlanta BeltLine from a concept into reality.
Money quote:
“The best public spaces encourage diverse urban experiences, from people watching to protesting, daydreaming to handball, eating, reading and sunbathing to strolling and snoozing. Witness the High Line. The park opened a couple of years ago on the West Side with no special program of cultural offerings or other headline attractions to lure people. The attraction was, and remains, the place itself. Its success shows how much can be achieved, economically and architecturally, when city government and private interests make the public realm, on a grand scale, their shared interest. ”
Read the whole thing here.
