The Vessel At Hudson Yards Closes Temporarily After Third Suicide

The Vessel, the 150-foot interactive centerpiece at Hudson Yards in Manhattan, has closed indefinitely following a third suicide on Monday.

The 15-story copper-clad structure, designed by Thomas Heatherwick, opened in March 2019, immediately attracting thousands to its distinctive 154 stairways and 80 landings.

In February of 2020, a 19-year-old man from New Jersey visited the Vessel where he jumped to his death, raising questions about whether there were enough safety measures in place to prevent suicide attempts. The following month, Community Board 4 sent a letter to the Related Companies, Hudson Yards' developer, asking what the company was doing beyond increasing suicide prevention training of its security team and talking to suicide-prevention experts. From the letter:

These experts will surely point out that while it is true that ultimately nothing can stop a person determined to find a way to harm themselves, it is also true that installing adequate physical barriers on high places can prevent or substantially reduce suicides, especially impulsive ones. As was pointed out at the March 4th MCB4 Full Board Meeting1, it took a tragically long time for NYU to act to prevent suicides from the balconies of the Bobst Library. (After the second death of a student, NYU stationed security guards on the balconies. It did not prevent a third suicide.)

On December 22nd, 2020, a 24-year-old woman from Brooklyn took her life at the Vessel. And on January 11th, a 21-year-old from Texas died after jumping from the Vessel.

The NY Times reports that a Hudson Yards employee witnessed the two recent suicides; he told them, "I couldn't sleep last night."

A Related spokesperson said that they are continuing to consult with suicide-prevention experts, including psychologists, and say that they added additional security who are trained to identify and, if needed, potentially engage with high-risk persons.

In 2017, before the Vessel opened, Audrey Wachs of ArchDaily worried about the design, "As one climbs up Vessel, the railings stay just above waist height all the way up to the structure’s top, but when you build high, folks will jump."

If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide: do not leave the person alone; remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt; and call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.