Hudson Yards Vessel to Be Dismantled and Sold as NFT (2024)

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The structure, which has proved a danger to the public due to its low guardrails, will be destroyed.

Hudson Yards Vessel to Be Dismantled and Sold as NFT (1)byHakim Bishara

Hudson Yards Vessel to Be Dismantled and Sold as NFT (2)

Cheers erupted in the streets of Manhattan early this morning after news broke that the Hudson Yards Vessel will soon be a thing of the past. In a joint statement today, the Vessel’s designer Thomas Heatherwick and Hudson Yard’s developer, Related Companies, announced that the 150-foot-tall copper-clad staircase will be dismantled for safety reasons. Instead, a digital rendering of the structure will be sold as a non-fungible token (NFT) in an auction next month. Earnings from the sale will be used to cover the costs of disassembling the structure.

“Though we believe that the Vessel is a widely misunderstood public artwork, we made the difficult choice of removing the structure,” the statement said. “We’ve heard the concerns of the community and came to the conclusion that the Vessel in its current form poses a risk to public safety. We believe that a digital rendition of the project would celebrate its legacy without endangering lives.”

Three people have jumped to their death from the Vessel since it opened in March of 2019. Architects and local residents have long warned that the low barriers guarding the structure’s 154 stairways increase the likelihood of suicide attempts at the site. Related Companies had repeatedly shuttered the site due to these tragic incidents, each time promising to review its safety protocols.

“It’s long overdue,” said a Manhattan resident who works in Hudson Yards in an interview with Hyperallergic. “I prayed for this day since 2019. This so-called artwork, which looks like a burrito from hell, was not only visually offensive but also dangerous.”

Another passerby told Hyperallergic that the Vessel had haunted her in her dreams, causing recurring nightmares.

“It was like being stuck in AlfredHitchco*ck’s movie Vertigo,” the New Yorker described her nightmares. “I’d feel trapped and suffocated with no way out.” The resident said she started a support group for people who have experienced similar Vessel-induced nightmares. “I thought I was the only one who had these nightmares until I met more people who have been haunted by this monstrous site.”

But not everyone has such strong feelings against the Vessel. A selfie-taker at the site told Hyperallergic: Low-key, I think it gives me a pretty good glow.”

While some have congratulated the Hudson Yards developer for its decision, others have criticized the choice of minting a rendering of the dangerous tourist trap as an NFT. The crypto art form has been criticized for its steep environmental impact, as the Ethereum blockchain on which they run uses excessive amounts of carbon.

“The Vessel will continue to harm the community in other ways,” said New York-based anti-NFT advocate Mikah Arahsib. “Instead of enriching itself even more, Hudon Yards should be giving back the money it stole from Harlem communities via questionable tax breaks.”

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Hakim Bishara

Hakim Bishara is a Senior Editor at Hyperallergic. He is also a co-director at Soloway Gallery, an artist-run space in Brooklyn. Bishara is a recipient of the 2019 Andy Warhol Foundation and Creative Capital...More by Hakim Bishara

Hudson Yards Vessel to Be Dismantled and Sold as NFT (2024)

FAQs

Will the Vessel be dismantled? ›

In a joint statement today, the Vessel's designer Thomas Heatherwick and Hudson Yard's developer, Related Companies, announced that the 150-foot-tall copper-clad staircase will be dismantled for safety reasons.

Why can't you go up the Vessel? ›

It appears some sort of safety netting is being installed under the flights of stairs. Four people have died by jumping from the sculpture since it opened in 2019. It has been closed since last summer, when a 14-year-old died by suicide.

Do you have to pay for the Vessel? ›

Tickets to Vessel are FREE during the first hour of operation and $10 per person at all other times. Tickets for children age 5 and under are always free. You must arrive during your designated date and timeslot for entry.

Is the Vessel currently open? ›

Vessel remains temporarily closed.

Will the Vessel ever open again? ›

The Vessel, a Tourist Draw, to Reopen With Changes After Several Deaths. Visitors to the structure, located in Manhattan's Hudson Yards complex, will no longer be able to enter alone, but its protective barriers will not be raised.

Is the Vessel still closed 2022? ›

Note: The Vessel is closed indefinitely.

Is the Vessel shutting down? ›

"I want to explore every feasible possibility we can, but for now the Vessel is closed." In an interview with The Daily Beast, Ross said he was debating permanently closing the Vessel.

What is the controversy with the Vessel New York? ›

Controversies. Vessel was criticized for its associated photo policies at the time of its opening. Hudson Yards, the owner of Vessel, claimed ownership of all pictures and videos taken of Vessel, and reserves the right to use any photos or videos taken for commercial purposes without paying royalty fees.

What is wrong with the Vessel? ›

The Vessel is currently closed.” It's the second time the Vessel has closed due to suicides. In January, after the third death, the Vessel closed for several months and reopened in May with new safety measures in place, including increased security, a buddy system and signs about mental health resources.

How much does a vessel cost? ›

Ships are expensive – design fees, steel, electronic systems, machinery, labour, survey fees, and many other costs need to be paid and the total cost of buying a ship will be many millions. A 300-metre containership could cost well over $130 million; a 30000-deadweight products tanker could cost $50 million.

Is vessel a real property? ›

Vessels are considered personal property under the civil law. (Code of Commerce, article 585.) Similarly under the common law, vessels are personal property under the common law, vessels are personal property although occasionally referred to as a peculiar kind of personal property.

Are people allowed on the Vessel? ›

The Vessel is open Monday-Sunday 10 am-8 pm. Tickets cost $10 per person, but children under 5 can enter for free. Note that to visit the Vessel you must come with at least one other person. If you are a solo traveler, the Vessel has a special "Come With Us" ticket where you will join a group of other solo visitors!

How do I check my Vessel status? ›

Notable Vessel Tracking Websites
  1. Marine-Traffic. Marine-Traffic, one of the most famous and widely used online ship tracking systems, offers ships' real-time data and advanced search features. ...
  2. FleetMon. ...
  3. Shipfinder. ...
  4. VesselFinder. ...
  5. Vesseltracker. ...
  6. VT Explorer. ...
  7. myshiptracking. ...
  8. Cruisemapper.
Jan 1, 2021

What's the difference between a ship and a Vessel? ›

A ship is a large ocean going vessel.. A ship is a sailing vessel that uses wind power or steam power or other man made energy sources, rigged in such a manner that will allow it to sail and be controlled.. A ship is a floating vessel that transports cargo in order to earn revenue..

Who owns 30 Hudson Yards? ›

Oxford Properties Group Inc.

Where is the Vessel Liberty now? ›

The current position of LIBERTY is at East Australia reported 5 days ago by AIS.

How much did the Vessel cost to build? ›

The bones of the Vessel were built in Italy and hidden from the public so that no one could see what the design was going to be. Then—as word spread on its design and purpose—came the outrage by many New Yorkers (and New York publications) that the cost—which exceeded $150 million—did more than raise a few eyebrows.

Is the container ship still stuck in the bay? ›

A year after the Ever Given became lodged in the Suez Canal, the Ever Forward, operated by the same company, ran aground in the Chesapeake Bay in March. It was finally dislodged on Sunday.

How is Hudson Yards doing? ›

According to the New York Times, only 30 residential units sold at Hudson Yards in 2020, while 157 sold in 2019. The centerpiece of the retail space was the flagship Neiman Marcus, which closed amid bankruptcy in the summer of 2020. Other stores and restaurants followed suit.

Who owns Hudson Yards? ›

Hudson Yards is developed by Related Companies (which developed New York's Time Warner Center, and counts Equinox plus over $50 billion in real-estate assets in its portfolio) with Oxford Properties Group. Stephen Ross, Related's chairman, has been hailed as a “Robert Moses for our age.”

What is the stairs to nowhere nyc? ›

The Vessel has proved controversial. When it opened in 2019, one critic likened the honeycomb structure, designed by the Briton Thomas Heatherwick, to an enormous kebab. Some locals called it a “staircase to nowhere”. This week, the Curbed website said simply: “It's time to dismantle the Vessel.”

Who owns Hudson Yards NYC? ›

Hudson Yards is developed by Related Companies (which developed New York's Time Warner Center, and counts Equinox plus over $50 billion in real-estate assets in its portfolio) with Oxford Properties Group. Stephen Ross, Related's chairman, has been hailed as a “Robert Moses for our age.”

Who owns the Vessel? ›

Hudson Yards, the owner of Vessel, claimed ownership of all pictures and videos taken of Vessel, and reserves the right to use any photos or videos taken for commercial purposes without paying royalty fees.

Can you still go to the Vessel? ›

The Vessel is open Monday-Sunday 10 am-8 pm. Tickets cost $10 per person, but children under 5 can enter for free. Note that to visit the Vessel you must come with at least one other person. If you are a solo traveler, the Vessel has a special "Come With Us" ticket where you will join a group of other solo visitors!

Where is the million dollar staircase? ›

Explore the construction, architecture, and history of the Million Dollar Staircase at the New York State Capitol.

Where is the joker stairs in NYC? ›

The 132 steps that connect Shakespeare Avenue to Anderson Avenue in New York City's Bronx were until recently removed from tourist routes. But visitors have flocked from all over the world since they saw Joaquin Phoenix sketch a few dance steps there in the blockbuster Joker.

Is the Penrose stairs possible? ›

The Penrose stairs or Penrose steps, also dubbed the impossible staircase, is an impossible object created by Oscar Reutersvärd in 1937 and later independently discovered and made popular by Lionel Penrose and his son Roger Penrose.

Does Stephen Ross own Hudson Yards? ›

Ross is the chairman and majority owner of The Related Companies, a global real estate development firm he founded in 1972. Related is best known for developing the Deutsche Bank Center, where Ross lives and works, as well as the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project.

What is the controversy of Hudson Yards? ›

The controversy is that the purpose of the EB-5 Visa program is to help develop Targeted Employment Areas (TEAs), which Hudson Yards was not, even before its redevelopment. There is a lot of truth to this assertion because no one in their right mind would consider Manhattan a rural or underdeveloped area.

How much is Hudson Yards worth? ›

At $25 billion, Hudson Yards is the most expensive real-estate development in US history. It's also one of the largest, at more than 18 million square feet, including 14 acres of public space.

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