New York’s elevated Liberty Park opens overlooking 9/11 memorial site

The ribbon has been cut on a brand new elevated park in lower Manhattan, which sits overlooking the 9/11 memorial site.

A view of the newly opened Liberty Park in Lower Manhattan, Image by Getty Images

Liberty Park, which has been billed as the High Line of the Financial District, was officially opened in New York City on Wednesday.

Liberty Park, the newest elevated park in Manhattan just opened today. It’s located right next to 9/11 memorial plaza, check it out when you have a chance! ??? ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• #Insta_America #igPodium_Mag #iloveny #IG_GREAT_SHOTS #TheCity_Life #igPodium #ig_unitedstates_ #architecturelovers #igs_america #citylife #inspiring_photography_admired #cityview #citywalk #made_in_ny #ig_all_americas #igs_photos #icapture_nyc #what_i_saw_in_nyc #myCity_life #libertypark #architecture #ig_unitedstates #city #Nycprimeshot #ic_thecity #ig_nycity #usaprimeshot #cityscape #igersofnyc #rsa_streetview

A photo posted by weeraaro (@weeraaro) on Jun 29, 2016 at 6:15pm PDT

Sitting pretty at 25ft above Liberty Street at the World Trade Centre, the new park is just over a modest one acre in size and is built upon the roof of the Vehicular Security Centre in the heart of Financial District in the city.  The new addition to the city’s parks, which has been in the works for several years, cost a reported $50m to develop.

A visitor walks through the newly opened Liberty Park this week Image by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Among its centre pieces and attractions is the ‘American Response Statue’ which pays homage and tribute to the emergency workers and responders that attended the scene at the World Trade Centre in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

The latest addition to the new the #wtc collection is #LibertyPark. A nice escape from the crowds below at the memorial, the park also brings back in use the old walkway bridge that connected the twin towers to the battery park buildings. Looking from above, the whole area really looks like it’s coming together beautifully. #nycarchitecture #architecture #park #weekdaysoffarts @wtc

A photo posted by don4k (@don4k) on Jun 29, 2016 at 5:16pm PDT

Other features include an unusual 336ft long ‘living wall’, which is essentially a vertical garden.  It reportedly features 826 panels with 22,356 plants of six different varieties. A sapling from a tree outside Anne Frank’s home in Amsterdam has been planted there and the rebuild of St Nicholas’ church are other notable features in the park, which was designed by Joseph E. Brown.

Got to be there when a brand new green space opened at the #worldtradecenter. #libertypark #onewtc #1wtc #7wtc #manhattan #timeoutny #gothamist #nbc4ny #nycgo #ignyc #nycprimeshot #what_i_saw_in_nyc #manhattan #nyc

A photo posted by Shawn (@nytourguy) on Jun 30, 2016 at 6:22am PDT

The park, which has a capacity for 750 people, runs along the south side of the 16 acre World Trade Centre site in lower Manhattan. It’s design has been modelled on the famous High Line park, which is located on an abandoned railroad track on the west side of Manhattan and is one of the most visited urban parks in the world. According to Patrick Foye,executive director for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey:  “It’s appropriate to have this place for people to recreate, reflect and have lunch.”