Ten Reasons To Visit Hudson Yards NYC Now
Author:Annette HanamiOpening March 15th, the largest and most ambitious private real estate development in the history of the US, Hudson Yards is a decade-long feat by Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group in transforming 28 acres of formerly obsolete West Side margin into the most modern, high-impact neighborhood in NYC. Bound by 30th to 34th Streets from 10th to 12th Avenues, the historic rail yards are now defined by super-sleek, high-tech and sustainably-designed mixed-use buildings, inviting public spaces, world-class restaurants and luxury retail. With new jaw-dropping public landmarks, easy access and a highly anticipated hotel opening in June, Hudson Yards is a sensory utopia to head to on your next trip to Manhattan. Here are ten reasons that Hudson Yards will change the way visitors, and residents, see New York City.
Arts at The Shed
The Shed arts center is unique in its support of all performing arts, visual arts and pop culture. Designed by lead architect Diller Scofidio + Renfro and collaborating architect Rockwell Group, the Shed’s telescoping shell glides over rails onto the adjoining plaza to double the building’s footprint depending on the size of events. The kinetic systems are inspired by Hudson Yard’s industrial and rail yard past as well as architect Cedric Price’s Fun Palace, a visionary mid-century design for theater director Joan Littlewood that incorporated flexible, movable physical spaces to feed artists’ creativity.
The Public Square and Gardens
Over five acres of interconnected gardens and public plazas, designed by Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects and Heatherwick Studio, will offer respite, in peaceful groves under more than 200 mature trees, over 28,000 plants that attract insects and birds, nearly a mile of garden seating and relaxing fountains. In a marvel of urban landscaping above rail yards where none existed before, the gardens’ relatively shallow shallow soils are carefully controlled for temperature, nutrients and moisture, and precision-irrigated with recycled stormwater.
The Vessel
The centerpiece of the public square will be Thomas Heatherwick’s social landmark The Vessel. A 16-story, 150-foot-high steel structure designed for public interaction, The Vessel is a vertical climb of 2,500 steps, 154 interconnecting flights and 80 landings. The design was inspired by the stepwells of India.
Shopping at The Shops and Restaurants at Hudson Yards
The 1 million square-foot, seven-story luxury retail and dining destination sits between 10 and 30 Hudson Yards. Designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects, the structure’s non-linear circulation and distinct shopping ‘districts’ invite guests to explore over 100 stores vertically to the penthouse, where Nieman Marcus makes its NYC debut. At the center of the five-story atrium is an art wall designed by James Carpenter Design Associates, a spectacular acre of curved glass panels looking out to the public square. The series of horizontal inverted “J” shape glass panels provide an ever-changing reflection of the sky and its relationship with the landscape below.
The Restaurants
An exciting selection of approximately 25 dining concepts will make their home here including Thomas Keller’s TAK Room that brings back iconic Continental dishes from a glamourous bygone era, Korean-influenced Kawi by David Chang’s Momofuku Group and Estiatorio Milos, Costas Spiliadis’ second Greek restaurant in the city. Michael Lomonaco’s casual Hudson Yards Grill is a modern, art-laden space designed by Bentel & Bentel who has designed interiors for Manhattan’s finest restaurants. London’s rhubarb hospitality group opens Wild ink, an East-meets-West concept designed by British studio Robert Angell Design International.
Occupying over 35,000 square-feet of indoor-outdoor space at the base of 10 Hudson Yards, Jose Andres collaborates with Ferran and Albert Adria to bring Mercado Little Spain, a veritable Spanish lifestyle under one roof with three all-day restaurants, several tapas and pintxos stalls to crawl, bars and retail kiosks, all inspired by classic food halls and markets of Spain.
Sustainable Design
The glitz of the soaring atrium and floor-to-ceiling glass of Coach and L’Oreal headquarters at 10 Hudson Yards belies its extreme sustainable design. The first commercial building in New York to receive LEED Platinum certification under the v2009 rating system, the 1.8-million-square-foot office and retail tower generates power and hot and chilled water with twice the energy efficiency than standard systems, recycles ca. 10 million gallons of storm water annually and minimizes energy use with smart controls and other advanced solutions. The architect Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates has a design portfolio with over 70 projects that are LEED certified or in progress. Additional buildings at Hudson Yards are designed to LEED Gold standards and in process of certification.
The Edge – Spectacular Views at 30 Hudson Yards
Also designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, 30 Hudson Yards will be the second tallest office tower in NYC with the highest public observation deck in the world at 1,100 feet.
The two towers, 10 and 30 Hudson Yards, speak to each other while deferring in opposite directions, one to the city, the other to the Hudson River.
The Equinox Hotel – 35 Hudson Yards
Luxury fitness brand Equinox expands their cultural movement to high-performance living at 35 Hudson, where they will open their first Equinox Hotel this summer with 200 rooms, and a 60,000 square-foot Equinox fitness club and spa. Hotel guests may decide to live there full-time in one of the 143 residences for sale that offer its own ultimate hotel-type amenities, fitness area and full-time concierge. The million + square-foot, mixed used limestone and glass tower designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill also includes prime office space and ground floor retail. The series of setbacks and terraces that twist around the building define the changes in use.
The High Line
An inspiring reclamation of abandoned elevated railroad stretching from the Meatpacking District to the Hudson Rail Yards, the 1.5 mile High Line is now an inviting urban garden and pathway from Hudson Yards to Chelsea. A collaboration between James Corner Field Operations, Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Piet Oudolf, the design reflects the various urban microclimates along the West Side corridor, sunny, sheltered, dry and windy sites, in a meandering way. Inviting seating among the seasonal plantings makes it more park-like rather than just a route.
Convenient Access
Hudson Yards has its own subway station on the 7 line, giving it convenient access. The new station designed by Dattner Architects was the first in 60 years, its modern look complementing the neighborhood. The vibrant mosaics of mandala circles inside the entry and interior ceiling dome were done by artist Xenobia Bailey, inspired by the universal idea of creation and the joyous energy it emits.