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The Vessel reopens with new safety measures in place

The tourist attraction, which closed back in 2021, will now feature floor-to-ceiling steel mesh.

Anna Rahmanan
Written by
Anna Rahmanan
Senior National News Editor
The Vessel
Photograph: Shutterstock
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UPDATE 10/22/2025:

Following previous reports regarding the imminent reopening of the Vessel, the Hudson Yards tourist attraction that first debuted back in 2019, officials have announced that the 150-foot structure is now welcoming guests once more. 

The destination had temporarily closed in 2021 following a string of suicides and criticisms over the safety measures in place. Things will hopefully be different moving forward: the tourist attraction now features floor-to-ceiling steel mesh barriers meant to prevent similar tragedies from happening again.

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Much has been said about the Vessel, the tourist attraction in Hudson Yards that opened back in 2019: folks have criticized its beehive shape, its name, the neighborhood it anchors and its overall look. 

Unfortunately, the 150-foot-tall structure has also been the site of safety-related concerns: four people committed suicide there throughout the years that the Vessel has been in operation, prompting developers to close off stair access to it in 2021.

As first reported by the New York Post, officials will reopen the Vessel to visitors "later this year with new safety barriers" in place. Specifically, the landmark "will have cut-resistant floor-to-ceiling steel mesh on most levels that will be able to withstand the outdoor elements."

Although most of the 2,500 steps will be accessible again, the top part of the structure will stay closed because impossible to properly safeguard. 

The 60-ton art installation was designed by British architect Thomas Heatherwick. First marketed as our own version of Paris' Eiffel Tower, the Vessel quickly became the subject of derision by many who claimed it looks like a waste can and doesn't do the neighborhood, then a brand-new destination for locals and tourists alike, justice. 

Now part and parcel of the city's skyline, the Vessel has to deal with more serious issues than lighthearted jokes: here's to hoping the new guidelines and setup will actually make a difference.

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