Friends of the High Line Seeks Operator For New Full-Service Restaurant

The proposed year-round restaurant concession will be located on Washington Street under the High Line. Revenue from the consession is being alowed to bypass the city's general fund and be diverted directly to the politically connected Friends of the High Line a private group. (Image by Renzo Piano Building Workshop and Beyer Blinder Belle)

Manhattan

Friends of the High Line is now seeking an operator to run a new full-service, year-round restaurant to open directly below the High Line at Gansevoort and Washington Streets in October, 2013.

Friends Of High Line (FHL) are planning two restaurants/cafes. One will be at street level at Gansevoort and Washington Streets under the stairwell that leads up to the High Line (above).(Photo: Geoffrey Croft/NYC Park Advcoates) click on image to enlarge.

According to the plan the new venue will activate the existing concrete plaza below the southern end of the historic rail line with 1,600 square feet of dining space surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass walls that open to the street during the warmer months of the year. The restaurant’s exterior is being designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop and Beyer Blinder Belle, and built as part of a broader construction project that includes the new maintenance and operations center for the High Line and the new downtown location for the Whitney Museum of American Art.

The winning responder will be granted a ten-year license to develop and operate the restaurant in a way that enhances the High Line visitor experience, engages neighborhood residents, and supports the High Line’s goals for sustainable operations. The restaurant’s menu, interior design, and operational plan will be developed by the winning operator with approval by Friends of the High Line.

When it opens in 2013, the new restaurant will provide a much-needed public amenity that also gives visitors a new way of giving back to the High Line. A portion of the restaurant’s proceeds will go directly toward the park’s ongoing maintenance and operations, helping us keep the park clean and beautiful all year long.

“The new restaurant will activate the concrete plaza below the High Line, providing a new, welcoming space for people to share a meal while also supporting the park itself,” said Robert Hammond. “We look forward to opening a restaurant that is as unique and special as the High Line.”

All proposals must be submitted no later than Thursday, March 15, 2012 at 3:00 PM.

Read More:

Friends Of High Line Concession Revenue Keeping Scheme Finally Approved

A Walk In The Park - March 18, 2011 - By Geoffrey Croft