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La Marqueta (photo credit: Mustafah Abdulaziz/WSJ)Every city deserves a High Line park -- Harlem perhaps more than others. In its heyday, Harlem enjoyed an open air food market under the active Metro North rail line called, La Marqueta, which was a common meeting area and place to buy, sell, and trade. In the 1970's the market declined considerably and has never bounced back -- and right now, it's practically empty. Progress is afoot though, and the Harlem's Economic Development Corporation is gaining support to revitalize the space and transform it into a mile-long covered market and public park promenade - a High Line for Harlem.1
La Marqueta (photo credit: Dith Pran/The New York Times, 1986)By 1986 when this picture was taken, La Marqueta had already fallen into disrepair as retail and shopping had moved away from the market in the 70s. At the height of the market in the 50's, there were up to 500 mostly Puerto Rican vendors selling any number of goods and food items. People considered the market a destination and came from all over the city for ethnic goods.2
La Marqueta June 2007 (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)Every city deserves a High Line park -- Harlem perhaps more than others. In its heyday, Harlem enjoyed an open air food market under the active Metro North rail line called, La Marqueta, which was a common meeting area and place to buy, sell, and trade. In the 1970's the market declined considerably and has never bounced back -- and right now, it's practically empty. Progress is afoot though, and the Harlem's Economic Development Corporation is gaining support to revitalize the space and transform it into a mile-long covered market and public park promenade - a High Line for Harlem.3
La Marqueta in October 2009 (photo credit: wikimedia commons)Every city deserves a High Line park -- Harlem perhaps more than others. In its heyday, Harlem enjoyed an open air food market under the active Metro North rail line called, La Marqueta, which was a common meeting area and place to buy, sell, and trade. In the 1970's the market declined considerably and has never bounced back -- and right now, it's practically empty. Progress is afoot though, and the Harlem's Economic Development Corporation is gaining support to revitalize the space and transform it into a mile-long covered market and public park promenade - a High Line for Harlem.4
La Marqueta (photo credit: Meta Brunzema Architects P.C.)Currently, the North Metro Rail Line is in use, but underneath the tracks is empty space just waiting to be utilized in a grand mile long public open air market.5
La Marqueta Mile RenderingEvery city deserves a High Line park -- Harlem perhaps more than others. In its heyday, Harlem enjoyed an open air food market under the active Metro North rail line called, La Marqueta, which was a common meeting area and place to buy, sell, and trade. In the 1970's the market declined considerably and has never bounced back -- and right now, it's practically empty. Progress is afoot though, and the Harlem's Economic Development Corporation is gaining support to revitalize the space and transform it into a mile-long covered market and public park promenade - a High Line for Harlem.6
La Marqueta Mile RenderingsProposed sketches of the market stalls under the Metro North Rail Line for the updated La Marqueta by Meta Brunzema Architects PC7
