Manhattan's Far West Side is a maze of steel, glass, and cranes, as the massive Hudson Yards project continues to reshape the neighbourhood. For America's biggest private real estate project in history, The Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group are building over 17 million square feet of commercial and residential space, 14 acres of public space, and a new arts complex dubbed the Culture Shed.
The majority of the project uses every square inch of available land to its benefit. Mostly built atop the West Side Yard, an operational rail yard used to store commuter trains for the Long Island Railroad, Hudson Yards illustrates just how valuable — and scarce — New York real estate is. In early June, fashion brand Coach celebrated the opening of their new space at 10 Hudson Yards, the first tower to be completed in the complex. The 52-storey tower features a Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates design stretching to a 273-metre (895-foot) pinnacle.
In addition to serving as the master planner for the project, Kohn Pedersen Fox also designed 30 and 55 Hudson Yards. With a steel-framed structure quickly taking shape, 30 Hudson Yards will connect to the completed 10 Hudson Yards via a large podium housing shops and restaurants. At 391 metres (1,280 feet) high, 30 Hudson Yards is poised to be the tallest tower in the development. Instituting a more traditional boxy design, the concrete floors of 55 Hudson Yards are also steadily climbing.
Attached to 10 Hudson Yards, The Shops At Hudson Yards will inject a significant retail component into the project. Steel is assuming the form of the Culture Shed, while work on the basement levels continues at 15 Hudson Yards. Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Rockwell Group, and Ismael Leyva Architects are collaborating on the design of the residential project, which will include 70 floors and approximately 385 condominium and rental units.
Designed by David Childs of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, 35 Hudson Yards will contain residences and a hotel within the 300-metre tower, with retail and office space demarcating the base. To be built above the rail yards, multiple columns and beams are still being put in place to strengthen the foundation. Over at 50 Hudson Yards, where a 62-storey office tower will rise, fences marking the perimeter indicate imminent demolition of the former McDonald's.
The transformative development is set to be fully completed by 2024, creating a vibrant new mixed-use destination in a city packed with eclectic neighbourhoods and constant urban energy. Boasting a strong portfolio of world-class architects and builders, Hudson Yards will make a dramatic impact on a Manhattan skyline already defined by its varied collection of 20th century skyscrapers. With the addition of numerous modern buildings clad in striking glazing, Hudson Yards will shine like a jewel.
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