A new district in the middle of Manhattan – that’s hard to believe, given that the New York Peninsula in particular has a chronic space problem. But now there is the new district “Hudson Yards” with more luxury apartments, modern skyscrapers and noble shops. An annoyance for New Yorkers, but another reason for tourists to travel to the metropolis. TRAVELBOOK explains whether a visit to the Hudson Yards is worthwhile.
The way out of the subway first leads past hot dog stands. Then you stand between smooth glass facades in the Hudson Yards neighborhood – and wonder who just crossed a boring suburban business park with a photogenic hype.
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The handful of designer skyscrapers cost 25 billion dollars (about 22.7 billion euros). But many New Yorkers turn up their noses: “Don’t go there!” There are many interesting places in the city, the choice is large – Hudson Yards is not one of them for them.
Anyone who visits the “playground for billionaires”, as the media have called Hudson Yards, still makes their way through a sea of tourists who are the focus of the district: in front of the “Vessel” (in German: “vessel”), a peculiar $200 million structure located in the square between the houses.
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An “overstimulating” feeling?
A young guy marvels at the thing, which is said to be modeled on an Indian stepwell, although it looks more like a walk-in, oversized kebab skewer. The young man is enthusiastic: “It’s overstimulating!”. Not just the “vessel,” but Hudson Yards as a whole: “This place is so dense, there’s so much to see.”
Work has been going on for more than six years on the largest and most expensive private construction project in US history. The opening took place in March 2019. Offices for 40,000 people and apartments for 4,000 were built. Companies such as SAP and L’Oréal have settled where the tracks behind Penn Station once shaped the picture. The rails are still there, as the skyscrapers stand on a platform above the tracks, on which they balance each other.
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Somehow the supposedly “overstimulating” wow feeling does not appear on top of the “vessel”. The view is not that good, the only view is of the yuppies at the pool of the luxury hotel opposite.
Kathleen Corless, who does public relations for Hudson Yards, likes to talk about how “instagramable” the neighborhood is: “If you’re a luxury consumer, you should absolutely come to Hudson Yards.” The selection of Dior and Gucci stores and fine dining is indeed large, prices and target audience are exclusive.
Expensive beer and creative “shed”
But what do normal tourists get in a district where a 0.33 liter beer costs ten dollars (nine euros) even in the food court?
The only reason for a visit, according to the Washington Post, is the most expensive “shed” in the world: “The Shed” is the name of the 500 million dollar building with its spectacular architecture, which was created as an interdisciplinary arts and culture center is.
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But there are other reasons. One is the beginning of the former elevated railway line “High Line”. Freight trains used to bring their goods to factories and warehouses here, but today pedestrians can stroll 2.5 kilometers on the “High Line” through the heart of New York. And in spring 2020, the open platform of the skyscraper “30 Hudson Yards” will open at a height of almost 345 meters. The view there will hardly be surpassed. Another advantage, at least for many locals: You can’t see the Hudson Yards from there.
A new subway station
The city of New York has done a lot to ensure that Hudson Yards become reality – among other things, a completely new subway station was built. According to a report by the New York Times, the builder was granted tax rebates of six billion dollars.
But many New Yorkers are not enthusiastic – the new district is too sterile, not authentic enough and, above all, too expensive, and many criticize this at a time when New York urgently needs affordable housing. Hudson Yards is “a billionaire’s fantasy city”, etched the “New York Magazine”. “We feel like we’re not in New York anymore.”
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