If you’d like to experience New York City’s famous skyline from a different perspective, the Hudson Yards development now has a new attraction to join the Vessel. Named Edge, it’s situated 1,131 ft (344 m) above the ground and offers views of the surrounding city, New Jersey, and New York State stretching up to 80 miles (128 km), when conditions are right.
Edge is the Western Hemisphere’s highest outdoor observation point and was created for developer Related Companies by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF), which is the firm responsible for a lot of the world’s tallest buildings. The Rockwell Group handled interior design.
The 765,000 lb (346,998 kg) observation deck is securely bolted onto the east and south-facing exterior of KPF’s 30 Hudson Yards skyscraper and juts out almost 80 ft (roughly 25 m).
Visitors enter the skyscraper at ground level and take a 52-second-long elevator ride to reach the observation point. This measures 7,500 sq ft (roughly 700 sq m) and is enclosed by a total of 79 glass panels that were manufactured in Germany and finished in Italy, and measure 9 ft (2.7 m) tall and weigh 1,200 lb (544 kg) each. The panels are set at a 6.6-degree angle leaning outwards and those feeling brave can press up against them to gaze out over the city. Additionally, a 225-sq-ft (20-sq-m) glass floor section is installed, letting visitors gaze down at the people milling around on the sidewalks 100 floors below.
There is also a restaurant, bar, and events space nearby that’s reached by climbing a few steps.
Edge recently officially opened for business, but has subsequently been temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When it does reopen for business, online tickets will cost US$38 for non-local adults, with kids coming in at a slightly reduced $33.
Source: Related Companies
