Manhattan’s Vessel has reopened with enhanced safety features, including steel mesh nets, after a series of suicides led to its 2021 closure,
After closing in 2021 following a series of deaths by suicide, tourists returned to Manhattan’s beehive-shaped Vessel structure following its reopening with new safety features.
On Monday, around 75 visitors purchased tickets and lined up to explore the metallic honeycomb structure when it opened in the morning. They passed through a security checkpoint and buzzed about the stairways and vista platforms, the highest of which is around 150 feet (45 metres).
Flexible steel mesh netting allowed visitors to stick out their phones, but not their bodies, to capture views of the sculpture’s interior and the surrounding cityscape.
The dark history of the Vessel
When the Vessel opened to the public in March 2019, it was instantly hailed as a new architectural icon of the city, with its unique design and panoramic views drawing huge crowds of tourists and locals alike.
Designed by British architect Thomas Heatherwick, the $200 million design was conceived as the centrepiece of Manhattan’s Hudson Yards, a massive redevelopment project aimed at transforming the city’s West Side.
“We wanted people to come here and have fun,” said Andy Rosen, COO of Related Companies, which owns Hudson Yards.
But, from the very beginning, some critics questioned its purpose, dubbing it an Instagram playground – a symbol of opulence in a rapidly gentrifying area. What no one foresaw was that the building would soon become associated with tragedy and death.
Just a year after opening, the first suicide occurred in February 2020 when a 19-year-old man jumped from one of its platforms. Over the next year, two more people – all in their twenties – took their lives in similar fashion.
The structure was closed and reopened with new measures: including security guards, checks and all visitors were required to be accompanied by at least one other person.
But two months later, on 29 July 2021, a 14-year-old boy jumped to his death while he was with his family, marking the fourth death in two years. The Vessel closed again.
A recent reopening
The Vessel’s latest reopening features floor-to-ceiling mesh barriers on all the walkable sections, partially obstructing some views, and closing off much of the higher levels from visitors.
In a statement this week, Jeff T. Blau, the Related CEO (the Vessel’s developer) said: “Not a day goes by that we don’t have visitors walking up to our staff asking where they can buy tickets and when it will reopen. That interest hasn’t diminished during the time we’ve been closed and we’re excited to welcome guests from all around the world back to Vessel with additional safety measures in place.”
Visitors can now ascend to the structure’s highest point only through a single section, located near the elevator exit, offering views of Hudson Yards’ towering chrome and glass skyscrapers.
The Vessel is open daily from 10am to 9pm, with free admission for New York City residents on Thursdays.
