Checking In: Hudson Yards

By Max Gross August 19, 2015 12:00 pm

"Tenth Avenue was called 'Death Avenue,'" said Mr. Samuelian because the street-level freight line that went through the avenue was so deadly to pedestrians. Now one can see 10 Hudson Yards rising, which will be the first building to be finished next year, a 52-story, 1.7-million-square-foot office tower. It will be home to Coach, L'Oreal USA and SAP. "It was 85 percent committed before a shovel hit the ground."

A platform is being constructed over the Long Island Rail Road, which will continue to use the site as a depot for the trains.

The site of Hudson Yards retail. The roof will have a cogeneration plant on the roof. "Sixty-five percent of the energy will be created on site," Mr. Samuelian explained.

Apparently, this is the kind of project where the cranes need to lift other cranes.

The site of Hudson Yard's future culture shed, which will include a retractable roof that can cover the plaza.

According to Mr. Samuelian, the site will consist of plantings, which will consist of a cooling system for the trees. "They'll be the most pampered trees in New York City," he said. "No one has air conditioned trees. I checked."

On West 33rd Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues, is a modest, unassuming building that looks like it was built some time in the middle of the last century, where a Related Companies marketing team had invited Commercial Observer (along with several other media outlets) for a presentation on their new mega-project in the works across the street.

We’re speaking, of course, about Hudson Yards.

Tucked away on the fifth floor where Related started the presentation were a series of countdown clocks to the target dates of the various Hudson Yards buildings.

Ten Hudson Yards was 200 days away.

Fifteen Hudson Yards, a little longer (986 days away).

For the building that was farthest out—35 Hudson Yards—prospective tenants (as of last Thursday afternoon) will have to wait 1,320 days, six hours, 20 minutes and nine seconds for it to be finished.

It’s a long time to wait. Related’s Michael Samuelian, a vice president focused on the project, dazzled us with details about it and the history of the surrounding area—so we might as well share what they’ve got as of now.