Vessel, a climbable sculpture that drew many tourists to Hudson Yards, a huge development on Manhattan’s west side, was forced to close in 2021 due to a spate of suicides, but will reopen to the public later this year with additional safety measures in place. do.
The towering beehive-like attraction will have new steel mesh barriers installed on some of its winding staircases and platforms, according to a spokesperson for the affiliate company that owns Hudson Yards. The top floor of the 150-foot-tall structure remains off-limits.
A spokesperson did not confirm the exact date of reopening, but said the developer looked forward to welcoming visitors again later this year.
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Designed by Thomas Heatherwick and manufactured in Venice, the Vessel opened in 2019 as the centerpiece of the glittering new Hudson Yards neighborhood and quickly became one of the city’s major tourist attractions. However, in less than a year, three people committed suicide by jumping from the structure, and it was closed to the public in early 2021.
FILE – This March 8, 2019 photo shows the Vessel, a 150-foot-tall interconnected staircase-climbing structure at the Hudson Yards development in New York. Vessel, a climbable sculpture that drew many tourists to Hudson Yards, a huge development on Manhattan’s west side, was forced to close in 2021 due to a spate of suicides, but will reopen to the public later this year with additional safety measures in place. do. (AP Photo/Mark Lenihan)
The ship reopened soon after, with new safety features such as increased security, suicide prevention signage and a ban on walking alone on stairs, but without the fencing that some Manhattan officials and local community boards had requested. did. Just two months later, it was closed again after his 14-year-old boy, who was visiting the city with his family, jumped to his death from the edge.
The structure has since been closed to the public as developers investigate the feasibility of additional protection, such as netting.
A Related spokesperson said the new steel mesh is cut-resistant and able to withstand outdoor elements without compromising the vessel’s shape or aesthetics.
Jessica Chait, chair of Manhattan’s community board, praised the upgrades but said they should have happened sooner.
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“While we believe that four lives are too many to make these physical adjustments, these are the changes we requested and that allow us to prioritize the safety of everyone visiting our ship.” “It will be,” she said.
