Imagine An Underground Park In NYC? It Could Become Reality

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — When most people think of the New York City underground the subway, rats and bad lighting are among the first things that come to mind. But, how about beautiful spaces with natural sunlight, grass, trees and remarkably good-looking people relaxing in a park-like setting? Well, that’s exactly what pops into the heads of architect James Ramsey and his partner Dan Barasch. The pair want to turn the rundown, graffiti-covered, trolley terminal under Delancey Street into an underground park, reports CBS 2′s Don Dahler.

“It’s part historical rediscovery of an amazing space; it’s part science-fiction. And I think it’s part just sort of a green, magical community renewal,” Ramsey said.“This is a space that could be used on a day like this that’s rainy and cold and grey. And it could be used in winter and it could be used when it’s freezing outside,” Barasch added.

While the plan may seem far-fetched to some, Ramsey and Barasch appear to be the right men for the job. Their resumes include words like “NASA,” “Yale,” “Cornell” and “Google.”

The ambitious duo were inspired by the overwhelming success of the “High Line” project, an elevated old train line turned park. The proposed “low line” park would take up three blocks underneath the Lower East Side, and would feature actual trees and greenery, thanks to technology straight out of science fiction.

Ramsey described the process, which would turn the dark bowels of Lower Manhattan, into a year-round sunny day, saying, “There’s three portions to this. There’s collecting the light and concentrating it. There’s sending it through either a shaft or fiber optic cable. And then there’s distributing it.”

The proposed park, which would be free to the public, has gotten a positive response from the city and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and although the developers aren’t sure yet how much it would cost, they’ve already started raising funds for their subterranean vision of the future.

For more information on the proposed park check out http://delanceyunderground.org