High on my list of things to do on a recent trip to New York City  was to check out the newly opened Hudson Yards, the largest and most expensive real estate development in the United States. 

Called “Manhattan’s New Playground” by Travel and Leisure, this $25 billion dollar development has been on my watch list for some time.  Composed of retail, very expensive residential and a myriad of office buildings this development at the top end of the wildly successful High Line Elevated Park opened within the past year.  

The High Line, a repurposed elevated train line, has spurred construction and traffic beyond belief in the once gritty and rundown area of Manhattan.    The High Line went from a lovely stroll with views of the East River to a major urban mob scene, reminding me of the security lines at busy airports.  Instead of views across to New Jersey, walkers are surrounded by an architectural canyon. 

For more about the High Line, check out these blog posts.  I’ve followed its development, visiting on every trip to New York City  that I could.  

The High Line: New York City’s Park in the Sky

Head up to the High Line–an urban park in the sky

The High Line: A Walk in the Park

Taking Walk on the High Line in New York City

High Line New York 2018

But Hudson Yards, with its long history of controversy is billed as a Billionaires Playground. Last March New York Magazine illustrated a diamond-encrusted Hudson Yards on its cover, calling it “a Billionaire’s Fantasy City.”  It consists of a huge shopping center surrounded by four skyscrapers.  Add The Vessel and The Shed and you have quite a development.

For a wonderful, but somewhat critical overview of the project, this New York Times article makes it visually very clear.   Click here. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/03/14/arts/design/hudson-yards-nyc.html

Armed with some background and having read some of the criticism of the project off I went.  

The seven-story, 720,000 square foot shopping center is nothing particularly creative or unusual.  Multiple floors of glitzy retail.  Great if you have shopping to do, but I probably wouldn’t go back.  

One critic says that most New Yorkers will go there once to see what it is about.  The question is whether they’ll return to  the Dubai wannabe. 

The tourists will come though for sure. And so will the office workers who will be packing the large structures that surround the center. 

The first entry by Neiman Marcus into the New York market is ensconced here with trendy displays, restaurants and an event space. I did like meandering around the new store after exploring an interactive art display and enjoying lunch at the Shake Shack.  

If I went back I’d probably eat at Mercado Little Spain, a food court in lower level devoted to Spanish food. 

Probably one of the most interesting things about the development is The Vessel, described by critics a  Stairway to Nowhere.  

The Vessel is a $150 million climbable sculpture conceived by British designer Thomas Heatherwic.  Some say the structure with 154 interlinked sets of stairs  is New York City’s  answer to Eiffle Tower and will become an icon for the city.   This is interesting because Parians scoffed at the Eiffle Tower when it was built.   

Others report that it is modeled on Stepwells in India, structures designed to handle water during the varying seasons in India where water levels range widely.  Here’s link to a blog post about Step Wells.

Step Well Done Well

However lots of people can’t stand the Vessel.   Some say it is meant to drum up Instagram views and foot traffic.  The snickers can be heard throughout the city.    To read why so many people hate the Vessel click on this article in Fast Company.  

 https://www.fastcompany.com/90326416/why-everyone-hates-the-vessel

I didn’t climb to the top because it was blustery and cold and my travel companions weren’t interested.  Some people love it.  Check out Trip Advisor or read this article and enjoy the photos on Business Insider.  

https://www.businessinsider.in/miscellaneous/i-climbed-vessel-the-200-million-2500-step-sculpture-in-hudson-yards-and-the-view-from-the-inside-blew-me-away/slidelist/68472134.cms

The other massive structure is The Shed, a large performance center with a movable roof.  I shot this image through the window and shared with a friend who said it looked like a high school gymnasium.  

Hmmm. The jury is out on this one.    I think I need to go back when the gigantic structure is open.  

To see how this structure works, click this link. 

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/08/13/arts/high-line-shed-shell.html?action=click&contentCollection=Arts&region=Footer&module=WhatsNext&version=WhatsNext&contentID=WhatsNext&moduleDetail=undefined&pgtype=Multimedia

Next to open is an Observation Deck, 1,000 feet high, cantilevered from the top of one of the buildings.   Scary I think.  I’m sure there will be lots of opinions about that one too.