Grassroots Effort Accomplished by Capalino+Company’s Legislative Advocacy in New York

We all know how important it is to our environment to reuse, repurpose and restore things that already exist, in order to create a more ‘green’ and healthy world. This is exactly what Friends of the High Line wanted to do when they discovered that an unused rail structure was going to be torn down.

Now, normally that would not be an issue. However, this particular rail structure is historic in nature, and the co-founders of Friends of the High Line had a vision not only for the beautification of their immediate neighborhood, but also for the West Side of Manhattan, where this unique structure stands.

Below is a case study from our work as one of the leading advocacy firms in New York, which you may find interesting.

After reading about the success that our client, Friends of the High Line, has achieved, you may gain a better understanding of how Capalino+Company can also help you to achieve your goals with advice and advocacy on land-use matters in New York.

Friends of the High
LineCategory: Government Relations
Sub-category: Grassroots Advocacy

Reinventing the Railroad:
Problem: Near the end of Mayor Giuliani’s Administration in 1998,  New York City decided to tear down the High Line, a 1.5-mile-long historic elevated rail structure on the West Side of Manhattan.  Friends of the High Line (FHL) was founded by Robert Hammond and Joshua David, residents of the neighborhood, in order to preserve and reuse the High Line. To achieve their goals, however, FHL had to convince Federal, State and City agencies of the High Line’s value. Our expertise in advocacy in New York City helped FHL to prepare a plan to save the High Line.

Thinking ‘Outside’ the Beams
Strategy: Our strategy was to advise FHL on building an unprecedented groundswell of community and civic support for the adaptive reuse of abandoned rail structure. This included securing the support of the local residents and businesses and lobbying all of the candidates running to succeed Mayor Giuliani as well as NYC’s major civic organizations.  Mayoral candidate Michael Bloomberg pledged to save the High Line.  Once elected Mayor, he designated Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff to work with FHL to determine a feasible plan for adaptive re-use.   Section 1 of the High Line between Gansevoort St. and 20th Street opened as a public park in June 2009. While it is owned by the City of New York, the High Line park is operated by FHL under an agreement with the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation. It features an integrated landscape, combining meandering concrete pathways with naturalistic plantings. Fixed and movable seating, lighting and special features are also included in the park. Section Two between 20th and 30th Streets is slated to open in April, 2011.

From Trains to Trees
Result: Thanks to the efforts of thousands of individuals, the local community and the leadership of Mayor Bloomberg and his senior advisors, former City Council Speaker Gifford Miller, current City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and countless other local elected officials,  the High Line has been saved.  More than $120 million in City capital funding, and an unprecedented re-zoning of West Chelsea, have been approved to support the creation of a world-renowned public park visited by almost three million people in 2010.