BY GABE HERMAN | As different sections of Hudson Yards have been officially opening in recent weeks, the latest ribbon-cutting was for 30 Hudson Yards, the tallest commercial office tower in the new development.
The April 3 opening was attended by hundreds of real estate and business executives. They joined officials from Related and Oxford, the developers of the new project on the West Side between W. 30th and W. 33rd Sts.
The tower at 30 Hudson Yards is 1,296 feet tall and will be the city’s second-tallest office building. The first employees from WarnerMedia have begun moving into the building, which will accommodate 10,000 employees from various businesses.
Some of the companies moving into the skyscraper include Wells Fargo Securities; Kohlberg, Kravis & Roberts (KKR), a private-equity company; and WarnerMedia subsidiaries CNN, HBO, Warner Bros. and Turner.
The building features a large-scale installation in the lobby called “Voices,” by Jaume Plensa. The work includes 11 steel orbs of various sizes, with letters from eight international alphabets.
Also, 30 Hudson Yards will also have the city’s highest outdoor observation deck, called simply “edge.” At a height of 1,100 feet, it will extend out 65 feet from the 100th floor of the tower.
And if edge’s height isn’t intimidating enough, it will have a glass floor and be surrounded by glass walls. The high-rise viewing perch is expected to open in early 2020. There will also be an adjoining 10,000-square-foot restaurant, bar and event space.
“Edge invites visitors to walk out into the sky and embrace unobstructed, panoramic views of New York City like never before,” said Jason Horkin, executive director of Hudson Yards Experiences.
Other recent ribbon-cuttings have included a March 15 event for the Vessel walkable sculpture, the Public Square and Gardens, and the Shops and Restaurants building.
And Hudson Yards’ cultural and performance center, The Shed, held a dedication ceremony on April 1 and opened to the public on April 5.
Later this year, sales are scheduled to begin for 35 Hudson Yards, a mixed-use building that is more than 1,000 feet tall. It will include a hotel, residential units, and office and retail space.
