Since its grand opening last year, The Vessel at Hudson Yards has been a major attraction to locals and tourists alike who want to take in the sights of the Hudson River and Midtown. However due to the coronavirus pandemic, The Vessel is currently closed, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn a few facts about this unique climbing structure. And when things do go back to normal, hopefully, sooner rather than later, you can plan a trip to see The Vessel yourself to experience the sights of New York City.
Located at the nexus of Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen, The Vessel at Hudson Yards was built as part of the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project. The Vessel, which some call an interactive landmark, unlike most city landmarks, encourages visitors to climb it. Imagined by British designer Thomas Heatherwick and Heatherwick Studio, The Vessel was made as a focal point where people can enjoy new perspectives of New York City from different heights, angles and vantage points.
Standing 150-feet in the air, The Vessel, was fabricated in Monfalcone, Italy, and arrived on Manhattan’s West Side after almost two weeks at sea with a brief stay at Port Newark and a five-hour barge trip across the Hudson River. The Vessel was constructed from a steel frame that was covered by a copper-colored steel cladding.
The Vessel is composed of 154 interconnecting flights of stairs boasting an impressive count of 2,500 individual steps and 80 landings. The Vessel, which closely resembles a honeycomb shape, rises 16 stories and gives breathtaking views of the nearby Hudson River and High Line. Plus, The Vessel is friendly to all of its visitors since it has ramps and elevators to make it ADA compliant.
Directly across from The Vessel is The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards that feature restaurants such as Hudson Yards Grill, Mercado Little Spain, Teak Tearoom, Wild Ink and more. You can also stop in to the various stores, such as Banana Republic, Fendi, Louis Vutton, Brooks Brothers, Neiman Marcus, Pandora and others.
The Vessel is located at 20 Hudson Yards in Midtown. For more information, visit www.hudsonyardsnewyork.com/discover/vessel.
The High Line
Nearby The Vessel, the High Line recently reopened to the public after being shutdown for the past five months, but with new rules in place.
The High Line is a public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets of Manhattan’s West Side. Saved from demolition by residents and the city, the High Line opened in 2009 as a hybrid public space where visitors experience nature, art and design.
The High Line is now introducing capacity limits for the park with a system of timed-entry reservations, reduced hours, 6-feet distance markers at entry queue and on the High Line and enhanced cleaning of high-touch surfaces throughout the day. The High Line has also suspended food, retail, tours and public programming services. If you do go to the High Line, you’ll need to wear a face covering of some kind.
To buy tickets and for more information about new safety requirements, visit www.thehighline.org.
