When Manhattan borough president Scott Stringer [1] heard about vertical farming, he said he immediately pictured a "food farm" addition to the New York City skyline, says the New York Times [2].  The concept of the Vertical Farm Project [3] was first put forth by Dr. Dickson Despommier, a professor of public health at Columbia University and graduate students.   Since then, several architects in the United States and Europe have continued to explore the idea that food can be grown on city buildings and skyscrapers.A prototype design for a vertical farm, a concept created in 1999 by Dickson Despommier of Columbia and his graduate students. 

Because buildable city land is scarce, Dr. Despommier looked skyward for space and suggests his proposed prototype farm could feed up to 50,000 people.  In addition to providing city residents with locally grown food, he says vertical farming could mean energy savings for both buildings and cities.  It could also lessen the costs and carbon output associated with the production and transportation of food. 

While critics question the feasibility of such an operation and call the idea "very provocative," the idea is gaining popularity.  A smaller-scale design of a vertical farm for downtown Seattle won a regional green building contest in 2007 and caught the attention of officials in Portland, Oregon.  As other cities continue to explore the possibilities, Mr. Stringer’s office is “sketching out what it would take to pilot a vertical farm,” and plans to pitch a feasibility study to the mayor’s office within the next couple of months, he said.