Vessel reopens at NYC's Hudson Yards, with new safety measures
NEW YORK -- Vessel at Hudson Yards reopens Monday with new safety features in place.
The 150-foot structure with climbable zigzagging stairs closed in 2021 following a series of deaths by suicide.
It is reopening with floor-to-ceiling steel mesh barriers installed on some sections. The top level will remain closed.
"Not a day goes by that we don't have visitors walking up to our staff asking where they can buy tickets and when it will reopen," said Jeff T. Blau, CEO of Related Companies, which owns Hudson Yards. "That interest hasn't diminished during the time we've been closed and we're excited to welcome guests from all around the world back to Vessel with additional safety measures in place."
Vessel first opened in 2019, as the centerpiece of the Hudson Yards development on Manhattan's West Side.
The interactive artwork closed in 2021 after several people died by suicide. It eventually re-opened, but just at the ground-level base.
"Through a closely coordinated effort with Thomas Heatherwick and Heatherwick Studio, we have developed a plan to install floor-to-ceiling steel mesh on Vessel while also preserving the unique experience that has drawn millions of visitors from around the globe," a spokesperson for Hudson Yards said when the further reopening was announced in April.
Vessel was designed by Thomas Heatherwick and fabricated in Venice. Tickets are required for entrance.
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