7 Million Annual Visitors... Abandoned Railway Turned 'Green' Boosts Urban Competitiveness [The Future of Parks 8]

Revitalized Railways, Iconic Gardens:
How New York and Singapore Made Parks Trendy

Parks and Green Spaces Also Boost Real Estate Values

Efforts to attract tourists and revitalize local economies through the use of parks are also active in major cities abroad. Rather than simply creating green spaces, these cities are incorporating cultural and tourism content and connecting parks with the surrounding commercial districts, thereby utilizing parks as the city's "economic infrastructure."

One of the most representative examples is New York City, United States. In addition to Central Park, which attracts more than 42 million annual visitors, New York is also home to the High Line—an elevated rail line-turned-park. The High Line was formerly a freight railway left unused on Manhattan’s west side and was transformed into a park in 2009. It is often cited as a clear example of how a park can inject new energy into a declining area. In the past, there were so many accidents on the ground-level railway in the neighborhood that 10th Avenue was called “Death Avenue.” Today, it has developed into a 2.33-kilometer (1.45-mile) stretch of green space home to more than 150,000 plants.

According to Friends of the High Line, the organization that operates the park, the annual number of visitors reaches 7 million, more than 20 times the original projections made when the park first opened. The High Line does not merely provide green space. There are a variety of programs organized by date, such as docent-led park tours, horticultural activities for teenagers, film screenings, and public art exhibitions. Since 2011, food and beverage programs have also been introduced, allowing visitors to dine inside the park. By adding cultural, artistic, and culinary content to the green space, the park becomes a place where visitors can stay for longer.

Before the Highline maintenance in 2001. Highline website.

Citizens resting after the High Line renovation in 2014. High Line official website.

Gardens by the Bay in Singapore has taken things a step further by making green infrastructure itself a signature national tourist attraction. Singapore created massive gardens in the Marina Bay area, combining unique features like “Supertrees,” the Flower Dome, and the Cloud Forest. Nighttime light displays have also been incorporated, allowing the area to develop into a destination where visitors are encouraged to stay longer.

The positive effect can be seen in the number of visitors. According to the Gardens by the Bay 2023–2024 annual report, the park welcomed more than 11.8 million visitors during that period. Since opening in 2012, the cumulative number of visitors surpassed 100 million in December 2023—just about 11 years after it opened.

Parks and green spaces can also increase the value of surrounding real estate. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report “Provision of Urban Environmental Amenities” released in 2022, house prices were found to be 1.4% to 12% higher when a park was located within a 400-meter radius of the home.

Looking at the details of the cited research, a 2010 study in Shenzhen, China found that having a park view had a 4.67% more positive effect on home prices. A 2020 study of the High Line's effect in New York concluded that homes located within 80 meters of the park were priced 35.3% higher than other properties. The report also noted that park views contributed to some of this price increase. Additionally, a 2008 study analyzing Baltimore, United States, found that homes located 1 kilometer from a park were priced 5% lower than those located right next to it.

There are similar findings in Seoul. In the study cited by the OECD, home prices were found to drop by 2.45% for every additional 100 meters away from a park. This demonstrates that parks and green spaces are closely connected not only to spaces for relaxation and tourism resources, but also to the value of nearby real estate.

Chogyeongjin, professor at the Graduate School of Environmental Studies at Seoul National University, said, “As time passes, perceptions of parks have changed. While parks were once mainly places to relax, they became footholds for environmental activism and health improvement, and now have become iconic tourist destinations representing a city.” He emphasized, “Since it is not easy for Seoul to secure additional large park sites, it is important to maintain existing parks well and enhance their management.”

Professor Cho also noted, “Central Park and the High Line do not stop at managing physical facilities and greenery; they operate diverse content ranging from guided tours to cultural events and local community programs. Sharing knowledge about ecology, plants, and the history of places while hosting various cultural events itself becomes an urban competitive advantage.” He added that for Seoul to make its flagship parks, such as Namsan Park or Seoul Forest, into iconic attractions, “more sophisticated cultural and ecological planning and investment are necessary.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.