New York City’s famous High Line opened its second section to the public today, doubling the park’s length to reach a full mile. Extending from West 20th and 30th streets, the High Line’s original elements, like its elevated promenade and glass screens exposing the traffic beneath, are embellished by a new lawn, allowing visitors to lounge. The design for the High Line is led by James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, two New York-based architectural design firms.

Despite the buzz around the new addition to the structure, there is some criticism about the so-called “High Line Effect,” or the migration of expensive restaurants and luxury shops, as explained on the Architizer blog:

“The architecture looming over the sides of the park has grown increasingly flashy, with starchitects and others being called in to furnish silver-screen backdrops to the spectacle. The rapid production of such marketable architectural clout, along with the opening of countless art galleries, chic eateries, and high-end shopping have attributed to the construction of the High Line Effect. The dream that this gleaming model of gentrification can be reproduced ad absurdum, given the tangentially right conditions, the involvement of fashionable architects, and, the most important ingredient, the procuring of salvageable decaying urban infrastructure.”

Visit the Gothamist or Friends of the High Line for pictures of the newest section.

Or visit the High Line’s Gallery for images from the early stages of the project.

What do you think of the High Line’s expansion?