Reported for the Flatiron Hot! News by Tod Shapiro
I had a chance to check out New York City’s newest neighborhood during a fun Sunday afternoon walk. After much talk and lofty expectations (click here to see NY Mag’s current review of Hudson Yards and it’s history), Gotham finally gets to experience the opening of Hudson Yards on the Far West Side after many
Yours truly inspecting the newly completed Vessel at Hudson Yards
years of discussion, design, and construction. The project, envisioned in the days of the Bloomberg administration as an alternative to a football stadium and a never-realized NYC Olympics bid, envisioned a whole new neighborhood, created out of whole cloth, of state-of-the art commercial office towers, new residential living space, shopping and public parks in a section of the city that was inaccessible and consisted of open rail yards and an isolated Javits Convention Center.
The Vessel is the Visual and Artistic Center of Hudson Yards Public Spaces
The city and state put together the plan along with lead developer Related Companies, and with substantial public incentives and funding, including the extension of the 7 train out to the new development and Javits Center, it has now opened to the public at long last. Built on a huge platform covering the far-west rail yards, phase 1 of the project, consisting of a half dozen gleaming commercial and residential offices towers, a flexible-use performing arts center, a brand new shopping mall, generous new public parks and spaces surrounding the new structures, and a monumental sculpture looking like some kind of giant bronze pine cone (“the Vessel”) makes a compelling destination for those traversing the northern section of our beloved High Line Park! (And click here to see Curbed’s run down on the different components of Hudson Yards!) As you walk north on the High Line, the new neighborhood and its imposing structures slowly come into view through the trees and urban landscape of the High Line, appearing as a shimmering vision distinct and apart from the regular west side landscape.
The new towers arise on top of the rail yards
What this means for Flatiron and Chelsea residents and visitors, as well as patrons of the New York City Seminar and Conference Center, is that you have another great site to entertain you while conducting your business meetings at our value conference center. Just head west on 23rd Street to the entrance to the High Line Park at 10th Avenue – a short 5 minute walk – and start your stroll north along the grassy walkways and plantings among the
The New Public Spaces in Hudson Yards
railway ties that make up the High Line. After a 10-minute sojourn above the streets along the winding paths of the High Line as it approaches 28th Street, you will begin to see the towers, as the unmistakable shape of the Vessel and the Shed come into view. I felt like Dorothy traversing the Yellow Brick Road, with the a gleaming Emerald City slowly taking shape in the distance – except in this case it was luminescent blue and silver, reflecting the afternoon sunlight, as we approached.
The vertical shopping mall offers a variety of luxury and high-end dining
The first thing one notices is the gleaming bronze structure – still to be formally named – but now known to all as the Vessel. it’s a monumental sculpture in the center of Hudson Yards’ public spaces that one can traverse through its winding staircases and take in some terrific views of the West Side, the Hudson River and the new development. Procure a ticket, take an elevator to the top, and walk down at your leisure! Adjacent to the Vessel is what appears to be a giant “tent” on massive wheels, which is the new performing arts center and event space called the “Shed.” Its ceiling and walls can be moved in and out of the adjacent tower from which it anchored, allowing for flexible-use interior and exterior public spaces to be artfully configured for all sorts of events – public art displays, concerts, theater and much more.
Hudson Yards begins to take shape!
All of the new buildings are covered with blue and silver glass that gleams in the sunlight – the shapes stretch up into the sky, towering over all of the existing West Side landscape. And, right between the towers is a multi-story shopping mall, with all the luxury shops and stores one would expect to see at the swankiest mall. I counted at least a half-dozen floors in the impressive open atrium in the mall. There are several floors dedicated to different restaurants featuring some impressive varieties of fine cuisine.
Continue across the new open-air public spaces and gardens, and the Javits Center comes into view, along with the entrance to the new 7 subway station, nestled nicely in the new park, and adjacent to Hudson Yards and the Javits Center. On this sunny afternoon, there were multiple food vendors offering dining options much less expensive than what we saw at the new vertical mall. Many people were out just taking in the new buildings and parks.
All in all, it’s an impressive start to a new neighborhood, and worth an hour’s expedition there and back from the Conference Center! Still to come – phase two! Many new residential towers and parks are planned as the rest of the platform over the rail yards is completed in the coming years, with additional parkland and public spaces.
NYC Theater News
Hudson Yards Opening Adds a New Neighborhood for Flatiron-Chelsea Denizens to Explore!
Reported for the Flatiron Hot! News by Tod Shapiro
I had a chance to check out New York City’s newest neighborhood during a fun Sunday afternoon walk. After much talk and lofty expectations (click here to see NY Mag’s current review of Hudson Yards and it’s history), Gotham finally gets to experience the opening of Hudson Yards on the Far West Side after many
Yours truly inspecting the newly completed Vessel at Hudson Yards
years of discussion, design, and construction. The project, envisioned in the days of the Bloomberg administration as an alternative to a football stadium and a never-realized NYC Olympics bid, envisioned a whole new neighborhood, created out of whole cloth, of state-of-the art commercial office towers, new residential living space, shopping and public parks in a section of the city that was inaccessible and consisted of open rail yards and an isolated Javits Convention Center.
The Vessel is the Visual and Artistic Center of Hudson Yards Public Spaces
The city and state put together the plan along with lead developer Related Companies, and with substantial public incentives and funding, including the extension of the 7 train out to the new development and Javits Center, it has now opened to the public at long last. Built on a huge platform covering the far-west rail yards, phase 1 of the project, consisting of a half dozen gleaming commercial and residential offices towers, a flexible-use performing arts center, a brand new shopping mall, generous new public parks and spaces surrounding the new structures, and a monumental sculpture looking like some kind of giant bronze pine cone (“the Vessel”) makes a compelling destination for those traversing the northern section of our beloved High Line Park! (And click here to see Curbed’s run down on the different components of Hudson Yards!) As you walk north on the High Line, the new neighborhood and its imposing structures slowly come into view through the trees and urban landscape of the High Line, appearing as a shimmering vision distinct and apart from the regular west side landscape.
The new towers arise on top of the rail yards
What this means for Flatiron and Chelsea residents and visitors, as well as patrons of the New York City Seminar and Conference Center, is that you have another great site to entertain you while conducting your business meetings at our value conference center. Just head west on 23rd Street to the entrance to the High Line Park at 10th Avenue – a short 5 minute walk – and start your stroll north along the grassy walkways and plantings among the
The New Public Spaces in Hudson Yards
railway ties that make up the High Line. After a 10-minute sojourn above the streets along the winding paths of the High Line as it approaches 28th Street, you will begin to see the towers, as the unmistakable shape of the Vessel and the Shed come into view. I felt like Dorothy traversing the Yellow Brick Road, with the a gleaming Emerald City slowly taking shape in the distance – except in this case it was luminescent blue and silver, reflecting the afternoon sunlight, as we approached.
The vertical shopping mall offers a variety of luxury and high-end dining
The first thing one notices is the gleaming bronze structure – still to be formally named – but now known to all as the Vessel. it’s a monumental sculpture in the center of Hudson Yards’ public spaces that one can traverse through its winding staircases and take in some terrific views of the West Side, the Hudson River and the new development. Procure a ticket, take an elevator to the top, and walk down at your leisure! Adjacent to the Vessel is what appears to be a giant “tent” on massive wheels, which is the new performing arts center and event space called the “Shed.” Its ceiling and walls can be moved in and out of the adjacent tower from which it anchored, allowing for flexible-use interior and exterior public spaces to be artfully configured for all sorts of events – public art displays, concerts, theater and much more.
Hudson Yards begins to take shape!
All of the new buildings are covered with blue and silver glass that gleams in the sunlight – the shapes stretch up into the sky, towering over all of the existing West Side landscape. And, right between the towers is a multi-story shopping mall, with all the luxury shops and stores one would expect to see at the swankiest mall. I counted at least a half-dozen floors in the impressive open atrium in the mall. There are several floors dedicated to different restaurants featuring some impressive varieties of fine cuisine.
Continue across the new open-air public spaces and gardens, and the Javits Center comes into view, along with the entrance to the new 7 subway station, nestled nicely in the new park, and adjacent to Hudson Yards and the Javits Center. On this sunny afternoon, there were multiple food vendors offering dining options much less expensive than what we saw at the new vertical mall. Many people were out just taking in the new buildings and parks.
All in all, it’s an impressive start to a new neighborhood, and worth an hour’s expedition there and back from the Conference Center! Still to come – phase two! Many new residential towers and parks are planned as the rest of the platform over the rail yards is completed in the coming years, with additional parkland and public spaces.