Hudson Yards: A Colossal Achievement

When Greeter Bob Gelber offered to take us to Hudson Yards, none of us could have imagined the enormity of the site.

This is the largest privately funded real estate development in the nation’s history. It spans 30th Street to 33rd Street between 11th and 12th Avenues and will include 17 million square feet of commercial and residential space. It is in Phase 1 of 2 of the building process.

Hudson Yards will include the headquarters of such companies as HBO, Facebook, Coach, and Time Warner along with new restaurants by famed chefs Thomas Keller and Costas Spiliadis. The site will house approximately 4,000 residences and 14 acres of public open space, including the Vessel and the Shed.

The Vessel

The Vessel, designed by British architect Thomas Heatherwick, is a 16-story, 150-foot-high structure of interconnected staircases. It has 154 flights, 2500 steps and 80 landings. When you walk up and down the Vessel, you’re treated to great views of the Hudson River and the High Line.

The Shed is an indoor/outdoor cultural center presenting a wide range of performing arts, visual arts and pop culture. The Shed has a space for large-scale performances; a 500-seat theatre; and two levels of exhibition space.

The Shed

People who live at Hudson Yards will never have to leave the complex. The seven-story mall has 100 shops including Neiman Marcus, Dior, Chanel, and H&M. Residents of the 285 apartments will enjoy a 75-foot-long pool, spa, fitness center, yoga studio, and children’s playroom.

Kohn Pederson Fox designed the master plan and two buildings. Other renowned architects such as Frank Gehry and David Childs will also be part of the design team.

The entire project is estimated to cost 25 billion! Once it has been completed, it will contribute 19 billion annually to NYC’s Gross Domestic Product. All we can say is, “Not too shabby!”

Artwork at the 34th Street Hudson Yards subway