Okay, so it may not be the high road, per se, but the High Line sky park that’s opening later this month in New York City is certainly an admirable development on behalf of the city (and those who advocated tirelessly for its creation). The strip of abandoned railway built in the 1930s will soon become a lush verdant walkway in the style of the rendering pictured above and akin to the Promenade Plantée in Paris.

In a city that’s got plenty of people but a shortage of space available for parks and other natural pursuits, the High Line’s conversion is a testament to how creative thinking and truly efficient space use can open up areas for green development (literally, in this case). By turning the rundown and decaying railway remnants into an expertly landscaped mile-and-a-half long park, New Yorkers will reap both the environmental benefits of more green space in a heavily urban area, but also the appeal—to both residents and tourists—of a better aesthetic. It’s a great example of the multi-layered benefits of retrofitting cities with eco-friendly factors in mind.

Unless you’ve got room in your budget for the $1,000+ tickets that are being sold for the First Party on the High Line on the 15th of this month, you’ll have to wait until the park is officially opened to the public (a date not yet set, but expected to be mid-to-late June). You can, however, get sneak peeks of the High Line park and learn fascinating details on how it all came to be by viewing the Sundance Channel’s Digital Shorts called “Highline Stories”. The web videos feature different perspectives on the High Line Park from a range of individuals (including celebrities like Kevin Bacon and Diane Von Furstenberg), and are entertaining whether you live in New York or not.

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