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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.