The towering, climbable sculpture that resembles a honeycomb was popular with tourists until it closed back in 2021, after several people died by suicide on the attraction. But now the 15-story high Vessel is back open at Hudson Yards. NBC New York’s Marc Santia reports.
What to Know
- The Vessel at Hudson Yards has reopened to the public with added safety precautions
- The structure had been closed since 2021 after a string of people died by suicide at the site
- A spokesperson for Hudson Yards said they developed a plan to make the structure safer
After sitting silent for more than three years, a New York City attraction that was shrouded in a cloud of uncertainty has reopened with additional safety precautions in place.
The Vessel in Hudson Yards had been closed for nearly 1,200 days after a string of people died by suicide at the site, exposing gaps in its safety. But on Monday, guests were once again reveling in the whimsical zig zags of the structure, though this time with steel mesh barriers in place.
"It’s a big moment for the Vessel, Hudson Yards, New York City to be open again," said Hudson Yards Chief Operating Officer Andy Rosen.
Four individuals took their lives at the Vessel during an 18-month span ending in July 2021, which ultimately led to its closure. Back in April, a spokesperson for Hudson Yards confirmed that an upgraded safety plan would allow the architectural honeycomb to reopen, with changes made to ensure the safety of all guests.
"There was a lot of engineering work that we did over that time. We worked with Heather Wick Studio, that’s the designer of the vessel. We also worked with a bunch of engineers to figure out a solution to ensure that we could welcome everyone back here on a permanent basis," Rosen said.
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Four stairwells and the adjoining platforms all have steel mesh barriers which allow guests to still take in the views. The first two levels of Vessel are fully open. The top floor still remains closed.
News
"This is a steel mesh that goes from level to level. It’s a little bit different. The geometry of the vessel is fairly complicated so we had to design that differently on each level but we were able to figure out a solution to achieve that," said Rosen.
There was also plenty of security on hand as the structure reopened Monday, keeping an eye on guests.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.
