Alex von Furstenberg

A rendering of The Diller – von Furstenberg Building, the High Line’s new operations center, located at the southern terminus of the park. Image by Renzo Piano Building Workshop and Beyer Blinder Belle.

From Jennette Mullaney for thehighline.org/blog – In recognition of the extraordinary generosity of The Diller – von Furstenberg Family Foundation, Friends of the High Line and the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation are pleased to share the news that High Line Headquarters, our new maintenance and operations hub, will be named The Diller – von Furstenberg Building.

Located at the southern end of the High Line, adjacent to the future Whitney Museum of American Art, The Diller – von Furstenberg Building will be at the heart of everything we do. Designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop and Beyer Blinder and Belle to reflect the historic warehouses and factories of the Meatpacking District and West Chelsea, our new four-story home will provide crucial facilities to manage, maintain, and operate the High Line. In addition to providing essential amenities for visitors, such as our southern elevator and public restrooms, it will house our gardeners, maintenance workers, educators, administrators, and public program staff in a space designed to meet the unique challenges of operating a 1.5-mile park that floats 30 feet in the air.

The Diller – von Furstenberg family has played a crucial role in the development of the High Line, making a total of $35 million in gifts and pledges to the High Line since 2005, including a $20 million pledge in 2011 that was, at the time, the largest gift to a public park in New York City history. Barry, Diane, Alexander, and Tatiana have been profound champions of this innovative adaptive reuse project, and shared the following about their commitment to the High Line: “We are so proud to have been part of the impossible dream of turning an old railroad into a green ribbon of trees and peace for everyone to enjoy.”

Today, with the public opening of the High Line at the Rail Yards scheduled for next year, we remain tremendously grateful to the Diller – von Furstenberg family for their steadfast support and dedication to our mission. We can think of no better way to acknowledge their special role in High Line history than at our future home: The Diller – von Furstenberg Building.

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Watch the building’s progress here:

http://www.thehighline.org/blog-tags/high-line-headquarters

Alex von Furstenberg, Ali Kay and The Diller – von Furstenberg Family Foundation have teamed with the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and the Los Angeles Parks Foundation to sponsor the refurbishment of existing outdoor basketball courts throughout the City of LA.  The partnership, which took form in 2012, will manage the repair and upgrade of selected courts, including the installation of new asphalt court surfaces, cantilevered goal posts, tempered glass backboards, breakaway goal rings, nylon nets, and needed individual site-specific improvements. Courts are being considered on the basis of high use and severe need for repairs and equipment replacement.

Phase I, which concluded in Fall 2012, saw the refurbishment of four courts at the Venice Beach Recreation Center.  Just announced was the completion of Phase II, which addressed improvements at another seven courts throughout Glassell, Sepulveda and Mount Carmel Rec Centers, and Lafayette and Victory Vineland Parks.  Upgrades in excess of $325,000 were funded by The Diller – von Furstenberg Family Foundation, in support of the project.

The LAPF is currently performing site evaluations for Phase III, the conclusive phase of the project, in which an additional eight courts are expected to undergo renovation.

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For more on the Venice Beach Basketball Court renovation and other LA Parks projects, visit:

http://www.laparksfoundation.org/EN/allprojets.html