Greenwich Village was the birthplace of New Yorks first elevated rail line, and the first streetcar.

Background

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How did we get here?

“Suicide Curve” in 1896
Just north of Charles Street, the El turned from Greenwich Street onto Ninth Avenue at Gansevoort Street, through Gansevoort Plaza in the heart of the Meatpacking District. This was one of the many curves the route of the Ninth Avenue El was known for as it wound its way uptown. At 110th Street, it hit what came to be known as “Suicide Curve,” where it took a particularly sharp but scenic turn to navigate around Morningside Park.

An overhead view of transit workers standing atop the Sixth Avenue elevated train tracks, working to dismantle the
railway at Sixth Avenue and 53rd Street, Manhattan, New York City, circa 1945.

Aerial view of the elevated train tracks running beside a highway in an industrial area of Brooklyn, circa 1925.

A massive transportation system was built in New York City in the early and mid-20th century, creating a multi-layered city with elevated highways, subway tracks, and rail lines. Raised infrastructure in urban areas serve as essential components of transportation, facilitating the movement of people, goods, and services across rivers, railways, and other obstacles. They help connect neighborhoods, reduce travel times, and support economic activity by ensuring smooth transit flows in densely populated cities.

One of the most impactful examples of elevated infrastructure was the “El” train system, introduced in the 1870s. Before subways existed, the El trains (short for elevated), built on steel tracks above major avenues, offered a solution to the overcrowded streets below. Initially powered by steam and later electrified, the elevated train system connected distant neighborhoods to Manhattan. While providing essential transportation, the El also created problems such as noise, pollution, and shadows, particularly affecting the areas beneath the tracks.

As New York's underground subway system developed in the early 20th century, many of the elevated train lines were dismantled, with the last Manhattan El line removed by 1955. However, elevated train lines continue to operate in parts of Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. The presence of these elevated structures has had a lasting effect on the development of the neighborhoods they serve, shaping both the built environment and social dynamics.

The El train system, as part of the city's broader elevated infrastructure, revolutionized public transit in NYC, providing the foundation for the extensive transportation network seen today. However, it also left a complicated legacy, balancing the benefits of accessible transit with the adverse effects on the urban landscape.

In a dense city like New York, these residual spaces can no longer be an afterthought. The millions of square feet of these sites (nearly four times the size of Central Park) arguably encompass one of the most blighting influences on the city’s neighborhoods, yet also constitute one of the last development frontiers. This substantial inventory represents an untapped public asset that has the potential to radically transform New York’s urban fabric.

The Archive

A visual archive documenting the development of New York City's elevated infrastructure. Through a curated collection of historical images, diagrams, and maps, it traces the evolution of elevated highways, bridges, and train lines, highlighting proposals and plans.

Proposed Arcade Railway under Broadway near Wall Street.

This proposal for "Speer's Endless Traveling or Railway Sidewalk" would have allowed travelers to stroll or ride in special chairs above the traffic.

During the 1850s, engineer James Swett proposed to hang passenger cars below steam locomotives in an early vision for an elevated railway.

Charles T. Harvey riding his elevated railroad above Greenwich Street, 1867.

Under Broadway – Interior of Passenger-Car.

This map shows how Manhattan's elevated lines (outlined in blue) used the island's north-south avenues to connect uptown and downtown.