New York: Taking the High Line? Manhattan’s railway-to-greenway opens a new section

In the cramped island of Manhattan, every bit of green space counts. So it’s no wonder that the little mile-long High Line park has become a new urban escape for locals and a new stop for visitors.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other New Yorkers turned out Tuesday to celebrate the opening of the second section of the park, a former elevated railway that stands 30 feet above the city’s West Side, running from West 20th to West 30th streets.

Photos: High Line park in New York City

The new stretch offers places to sit, places to walk and places to gaze at some landmark skyscrapers, such as the Chrysler Building and theEmpire State Building, from a new perspective. You might get a new angle on other things, too. Two years ago, after the first stretch opened, from Gansevoort Street to West 20th Street, some park strollers got an eyeful when frolicking guests at the nearly Standard Hotel neglected to close their curtains.

Trees and wildflowers now thrive where freight trains once ran through theMeatpacking District and other parts of the city’s industrial past, according to the High Line’s website. The city is working on a third section, between West 30th and West 34th streets. Total cost for design and construction of the entire park: $153 million.

For those visiting soon, a free Step to the High Line Festival will start Monday and run through June 18. Performances will include step teams from variousNew York schools, culminating in a five-team showcase.