Midtown Manhattan Landmarks

Hudson Yards and the Vessel in Midtown Manhattan

Hudson Yards is a 28-acre development on the West Side of Midtown Manhattan, built over the West Side Rail Yard. Its first phase opened on March 15, 2019. Its centerpiece, the Vessel, designed by Thomas Heatherwick, is a climbable structure of copper-colored stairways.

The Vessel at Hudson Yards, a climbable structure of copper-colored stairways, seen from below. — Photo: Stefan Kemmerling · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source

Quick facts

Where: Manhattan's far West Side, over the West Side Rail Yard
Development: 28 acres by Related Companies and Oxford Properties, with a master plan by Kohn Pedersen Fox
First phase opened: March 15, 2019
Subway: the 34th Street-Hudson Yards station on the 7 line, opened September 13, 2015
The Vessel: about 150 feet tall, 16 stories, with 154 flights of stairs, about 2,500 steps and 80 landings
Designer: Thomas Heatherwick of Heatherwick Studio
Vessel opened: March 15, 2019
Neighbor: the northern end of the High Line is at 11th Avenue and 34th Street

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History

The name comes from the MTA rail yard along the Hudson River between 30th and 33rd Streets. In 1987 the MTA converted the remaining yard into the West Side Yard for commuter train storage. Groundbreaking for the first tower, 10 Hudson Yards, was on December 4, 2012. The first phase opened on March 15, 2019, with office towers, The Shops and Restaurants of Hudson Yards, and the Vessel. The 7 line station at 34th Street opened in September 2015.

Construction of the Vessel began on April 18, 2017, and the structure topped out in December 2017. Its components were assembled in Monfalcone, Italy, shipped by sea and unloaded at docks on the Hudson River. Its steps are copper-clad over structural steel, and the stair routes add up to more than a mile. "Vessel" was a temporary construction name. In January 2019, Hudson Yards asked the public for name suggestions.

Access to the Vessel has changed more than once since it opened, including closures in 2021 and a reopening in October 2024 with added safety netting.

What to look for

The copper-colored stairways of the Vessel, seen from the plaza and from below
The glass towers that surround the plaza
The High Line, which ends at Hudson Yards

Visiting Hudson Yards and the Vessel

Check the official Hudson Yards website for current Vessel access before you go. The 34th Street-Hudson Yards station on the 7 line is the nearest subway stop. Madison Square Garden is a short distance east. To see Midtown by pedicab, see our tours.