There’s a solution in the works to provide public indoor recreation at the Lowline Lab, located inside an abandoned market, on the Lower East Side. The “long-term open laboratory and technical exhibit” is an attempt to demonstrate the ability to grow plants underground, according to its website. It will be open through June because it has been attracting visitors, spokesman Christian Bergland said.
The Lowline Lab was created by James Ramsey, who invented the remote skylight, which allows sunlight to reach underground locations.
According to the website’s description, the Lowline Lab would like to expand the project to create a new form of public space “that highlights the historic elements of a former trolley terminal while introducing cutting-edge solar technology and design, enabling plants and trees to grow underground.”
The Lowline team hopes to get the green light from New York City and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to build the park by 2017 and then launch a capital campaign to support its construction. The team hopes that the site will officially open in 2020, according to the website’s timeline.
“This is sort of the proof of concept, not just for making this idea work in New York, but making this idea work pretty much anywhere,” Bergland, said.
Scroll down to see photos of the world’s first underground park.