Hudson Yards’ Outdoor Observation Deck Will Be the Highest in the City
At the end of last year, we learned that 30 Hudson Yards, the 92-story tower that’s part of the west side mega-development, would offer a death-defying observation deck. Initial reports said that a tilting glass walkway would jut out of the building around 1,000 feet, but a new report from the Post confirms that the actual height will be 1,100 feet. This puts it 50 feet higher than the Empire State Building’s 86th-floor outdoor observation deck, making it the highest in the city. The paper also has a shiny new rendering of the deck, which will span more than 5,000 square feet and boast 360-degree views.
One World Observatory
Observation decks are becoming almost a necessity at the city’s newest, tallest, and flashiest skyscrapers. For months, New Yorkers were following updates about One World Trade Center’s observatory and its views from 1,250 feet in the air, and the forthcoming One Vanderbilt tower may offer a deck even higher than this (though these decks are higher than those at 30 Hudson yards and the Empire State Building, they are not outdoors). The trend spreads nationally, too. At the Shanghai Tower in China, for example, the observation deck sits higher than 1,800 feet.
Rendering of the entire Hudson Yards development
When completed, 30 Hudson Yards will be the fourth-tallest building in the city. Developer Related Companies said it expects the observation deck to attract several million visitors a year, especially considering it will offer a yet-to-be-specified “thrill seeking element.” We imagine it will be similar to the glass-enclosed modules on Chicago’s Willis Tower Skydeck. Last November, Related Hudson Yards President Jay Cross said of the deck, “You can choose to pay for it separately and crap your pants.”
[Via NYP]
RELATED:
