Months of rumors were confirmed on Jan. 21, when Mitsui Fudosan American announced they had partnered with Related and Oxford on full capitalization of 55 Hudson Yards, and commenced groundbreaking. The building is positioned at 33rd St. and 11th Ave., where the High Line meets Hudson Park & Boulevard and the new No. 7 subway extension.
BY WINNIE McCROY | The West Side of New York City is in the midst of being transformed. Construction is well underway on Hudson Yards — the largest private real estate development in the history of the United States and the source of a new neighborhood situated between Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen. Once completed, the site will be home to more than 17 million square feet of newly created space, including a public school and a much-anticipated cultural facility. Here’s an update on New York City’s largest project since Rockefeller Center.
“In four short years, Manhattan’s West Side will be forever changed with the completion of new development [at the Eastern Rail Yards] that will include residences, a dynamic shopping and dining experience, and unique cultural space and state-of-the-art offices for Coach Inc., L’Oreal USA, SAP and Time Warner, Inc.,” said Stephen M. Ross, Chairman of Related Companies, the developer. “With the first tower well underway and the [upcoming] No. 7 subway, Hudson Park & Boulevard and the last segment of the High Line, we are thrilled to kick off construction on the platform and the remaining towers in the Eastern Rail Yards and see our collective vision become a reality.”
L to R: Michael Samuelian, VP at Related Companies, Erica Maganti, Hudson Yards Creative Director and Dean Shapiro, SVP at Oxford Properties.
The entire Hudson Yards project will cover 28 acres and 17 million square feet roughly spanning from 10th Ave. to the West Side Highway, and from 30th to 34th Sts. Although construction has already begun on the southeastern side, completing the project requires two “platforms” built over 30 active Long Island Rail Road tracks, three subsurface Amtrak and New Jersey Transit rail tunnels, and the Gateway tunnel.
Tutor Perini is General Contractor for the Hudson Yards, with Thornton Tomasettti as the platform’s structure engineer. In March 2014, they began drilling some of the 300 necessary caissons into the bedrock, between existing railroad tracks, for the Eastern Rail Yard platform. All trains will remain operational for the duration. The platform for the Eastern Rail Yard will be finished by October 2015. Both platforms should be completed by 2016.
“Like anything else, construction projects go through boom and bust times, depending on the economy,” said Related Vice-President Michael Samuelian. “Right now, we are in a boom time, so we’re trying to get as much building done as possible.”
The recently opened final section of the High Line connects pedestrians to 10 Hudson Yards (seen here, under construction).
COMMERCIAL AND OFFICE PROPERTIES
Hudson Yards will feature several large commercial and office properties. Currently under construction is 10 Hudson Yards, a 1.7 million-square-foot office tower at the northwest corner of 30th St. and 10th Ave. Samuelian said that the property is currently at about 27 stories. When completed, it will be 52 stories and 895 feet tall.
The building was designed by Kohn Pederson Fox Associates (KPF), and will exceed LEED Gold standards. It will be home to anchor tenant Coach Inc., plus L’Oréal USA and SAP. There will be a Fairway Market on the ground floor. The building will be connected directly to the High Line and the public plaza, and tower bridges will create a dramatic, 60-foot public passageway through the building.
Adjacent to this is The Shops and Restaurants at Hudson Yards, a one million square-foot retail center featuring 100 shops, restaurants, and the “Kitchens,” a new concept in casual dining. The building is designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects, and will connect to the six-acre public plaza and the No. 7 subway station.
In September, Related and Oxford Properties Group announced that Neiman Marcus had signed on as their anchor tenant with a 250,000-square-foot, three-level store — its first in New York City.
“Hudson Yards presents the ideal location for a Neiman Marcus store,” said Neiman’s President and CEO Karen Katz in a statement. “[We are] well-known to New Yorkers through our landmark Bergdorf Goodman store…and we are excited to establish a flagship NM store in one of the world’s premier shopping destinations.”
Next to this, at the southwest corner of 33rd St. and 10th Ave., will be 30 Hudson Yards, a 2.6-million-square-foot commercial tower designed by KPF. At 92 stories and 1,284 feet, it will be the fourth-tallest building in New York City — with the highest outdoor observation deck the Big Apple has ever seen.
In January, Time Warner Inc. sold their 1.1 million-square-feet offices in the Time Warner Center in Columbus Circle to Related for $1.3 billion, and announced plans to relocate to 30 Hudson Yards. They will continue to lease their current offices from Related until construction is completed.
“By consolidating our space to Hudson Yards we will be able to reallocate substantial savings to our primary business of creating and sharing great storytelling in television, film, and journalism with audiences around the world,” said Time Warner Chairman and CEO Jeff Bewkes in a statement.
Directly to the north is 50 Hudson Yards, a 2.3 million-square-foot, 62-story commercial tower at the corner of 33rd St. and 10th Ave. reaching 1,068 feet. Plans for this building have changed, and Related has not yet announced the architect.
Not many other details are known about 50 Hudson Yards, although Related did offer JPMorgan Chase the opportunity to build it, after the company failed to meet their October 15, 2014 deadline for the tower directly west of it. After the city said they wouldn’t give Chase the $1 billion in tax break subsidies it wanted, the company reportedly decided to stay on the East Side.
Months of rumors were confirmed on January 21, when Mitsui Fudosan American, the U.S. operations of Japan’s largest real estate company, announced they had partnered with Related and Oxford on full capitalization of 55 Hudson Yards, and commenced groundbreaking on the trophy office tower. The building is advantageously positioned at 33rd St. and 11th Ave., where the High Line meets Hudson Park & Boulevard and the new No. 7 subway extension. It will be one of the few office buildings in the entire city that opens directly onto a park.
“We are pleased to partner with Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group on 55 Hudson Yards which we consider a new trophy property in the Mitsui Fudosan U.S. and global portfolios,” said Yukio Yoshida, President and CEO of MFA. “Related and Oxford are experienced developers with a proven track record for delivering world class projects, making them ideal partners. Hudson Yards is fast becoming one of the most desirable locations for top echelon tenants, offering an unparalleled modern, mixed-use environment. We are looking forward to being a central part of the success of the Hudson Yards development.”
Architect Kevin Roche teamed up with KPF to design 55 Hudson Yards, which will be a 51-story, 1.3 million-square-foot office building reaching 780 feet tall, with construction to be completed and ready for tenant fit-out by early 2018.
“The office space at Hudson Yards has already attracted some of the best brands in fashion, beauty, media, and technology. When 10 Hudson Yards is completed next year it will be home to Coach Inc., L’Oreal USA and SAP,” said Samuelian. “In 2018, Time Warner Inc. will move its corporate headquarters to 30 Hudson Yards. And when the retail center opens, you will experience the best of New York and the best from around the world, including New York’s first Neiman Marcus. These commitments help prove that Hudson Yards will be the new heart of New York, a center of culture, commerce, and community.”
Construction has just begun on 55 Hudson Yards, which will be one of the few office buildings in the entire city that opens directly onto a park.
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
A neighborhood is only as good as the people who live there, and Hudson Yards hasn’t overlooked residential property in its plans, making sure that people can reside where they work. As a Chelsea resident, Samuelian said, “I personally am looking forward to walking along the High Line from my Chelsea apartment to Related’s new office at Hudson Yards. There won’t be a better commute in the world.”
Currently under construction is 15 Hudson Yards, the residential tower at the northeast corner of 30th St. and 11th Ave., set to reach 70 stories and stand 910 feet tall. Construction teams began drilling in the caissons for this project in December 2014.
The tower is designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Rockwell Group, in collaboration with Ismael Leyva Architects. It is notable for its tapered design, and will feature 385 residences for rent/sale, with 80/20 affordable housing included.
Residents will have access to an Equinox fitness center, a concierge, an on-site garage with valet, and pet-friendly services. Fifteen Hudson Yards will be adjacent to the High Line and connected to the Culture Shed, an indoor/outdoor performance space.
Across the Public Square at W. 33rd St. and 11th Ave. is another mixed-use/residential tower, 35 Hudson Yards, designed by architect David Childs/Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. It will soar to 1,000 feet with 79 stories, and feature 100 for-sale residences.
Residents will enjoy hotel-style amenities, thanks to the 175-room luxury hotel, plus a world-class, 75,000-square-foot fitness club, offices and ground-floor retail space. Construction will begin soon, with a finish goal of 2018.
Related Companies has several other residential properties already available at the northeast corner of W. 29th St. and 10th Ave., including the luxury residential Abingdon Houses, a 32-story residential tower designed by Robert A. M. Stern. In addition, famed architect Zaha Hadid has teamed up with Related to make her New York City debut, a 37-unit, 11-story residential building at 520 W. 28th St., just a stone’s throw from the High Line and inspired by its design.
Those interested in living in or near Hudson Yards can get more information via Related’s website (related.com), and put their name on a contact list.
It is still too early to look at the residential properties of the “West Tower,” planned atop the Western Rail Yards, the 10 million acre portion of the project that won’t be completed until 2024. But Related notes that it will offer 2,000,000 square feet of office space, 4,000,000 square feet of residential, 100,000 of retail space, and a 120,000-square-foot K-8 public school.
“Hell’s Kitchen and Chelsea are two of Manhattan’s best and fastest growing neighborhoods, and for years, they have been divided by what is essentially a 26-acre dead zone,” said Samuelian. “Hudson Yards presents us with an historic opportunity to connect these two neighborhoods by building an entirely new neighborhood from the ground up — allowing us to do a number of firsts in New York in terms of sustainability, connectivity, and resiliency.”
From the High Line, a view of what will be 15 Hudson Yards (foreground, corner of 11th Ave & 30th St.).
PUBLIC SPACES AND THE CULTURE SHED
The construction of The High Line was the beginning of the major changes on the West Side. The public park built on the abandoned elevated freight line now runs from Gansevoort Street to the Jacob Javits Center. With more than four million annual visitors, it has stimulated $5 billion in development.
The High Line will usher guests seamlessly through 10 Hudson Yards to the Culture Shed, and the six acres of gardens and public plazas on the Eastern Rail Yards.
Connected to 15 Hudson Yards, the Culture Shed is an innovative public arts project by Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with Rockwell Group, managed by an independent non-profit cultural organization to host art, performance, film, design, food and fashion. It features a retractable canopy covered with a lightweight, transparent plastic called ETFE, less than one percent the weight of glass.
Construction is already underway on the foundation of Culture Shed, with full construction to begin in mid-2015 and be completed by 2018. On November 24, 2014, Alex Poots was announced as the new CEO and artistic director of the Culture Shed. He assumes a full-time role in September 2015.
“Culture Shed will be a purpose-built international center for artistic and cultural innovation,” said Poots. “Our goal is to support artists and creative minds to develop and evolve their practice, welcoming the widest audience. It’s an honor to accept this once-in-a-generation opportunity.
It’s only a scale model now — but in 2018, Hudson Yards shoppers will enter the first Neiman Marcus store in NYC.
“Under Alex’s leadership, Culture Shed will bring the world’s boldest, most innovative artists and creative partners together under one roof. This incredible addition to New York City’s artistic and cultural offerings will ensure that our city continues leading and evolving,” added board member Diane von Furstenberg.
To the north of Culture Shed is Hudson Yards Public Square, an urban space for events, exhibitions, and gatherings. Designed by Nelson Byrd Woltz in collaboration with Heatherwick Studios, the southern edge of the plaza will feature a canopy of trees in its Pavilion Grove, an entry plaza at 10th Ave. and 30th St. with a fountain, and the northern edge will feature a ‘seasonally expressive’ entry garden at the new No. 7 subway extension.
The opening of this long-anticipated subway extension is now set for some time between April and July, due to ongoing problems with two incline elevators being installed in the station, as well as some kinks in the fire alarm and security system that need to be worked out, said MTA officials in December 2014.
Leading up to this is Hudson Park & Boulevard, a three-block long split of public park and roadway, with specialized areas for children’s playgrounds, benches and landscaped pathways. All of this is bookended by the Hudson River Park amenities off the West Side Highway.
Capping off the area’s cultural offerings is the new Whitney Museum, to open at the High Line’s southernmost entrance on May 1. Combined with the wealth of small art galleries for which Chelsea is renowned, it will make the area a destination for art lovers.
Related notes that Hudson Yards will be more than just a collection of tall towers and open spaces — it is a model for the modern community, with all buildings at a Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) rating. Built above the rail yards, it is flood-proof, and in the case of emergency, it possesses onsite power-generating services.
Buildings will have waste-management systems via vacuum tubes that shoot organics, recyclables and trash straight to a central terminal, converting organic matter into fertilizer and eliminating piles of trash on the curb.
Later this year, construction begins on the indoor/outdoor arts facility, Culture Shed (set to open in 2018).
The Public Square will serve as a ventilation lid over the rail yards, and as a reservoir site for storm-water management and reuse. Buildings are connected through a micro-grid that allows for energy management in heating and cooling, and communications will be supported by a ‘future-proofed’ fiber loop, designed to allow continuous access via wired and wireless broadband.
Hudson Yards operation managers will monitor and react to traffic and pedestrian patterns, air quality, power demands, and temperature and use the data to create the most environmentally attuned neighborhood in New York City. It’s not hard to imagine that Hudson Yards could one day be the template for how cities of the future are built.
“As a native New Yorker and longtime Chelsea resident I am so proud to be a part of designing this new, vibrant neighborhood,” said Samuelian. “When it’s fully completed, Hudson Yards will bring to the West Side five new office buildings, 100 shops and restaurants, 5,000 residences, an innovative new cultural center, 14 acres of public open space, a 750-seat public school and scores of other great amenities for residents, workers, and visitors.
When you add that to the opening of the new Whitney Museum, the extension of the No. 7 subway line, and the expansive new network of parks and open spaces, including the High Line, Hudson Park & Boulevard and the ever-growing Hudson River Park, you create a truly unique destination that cannot be found anywhere else in New York City.”
For more information, visit HudsonYardsNewYork.com.
