A 14-year-old boy fell Thursday from the so-called "Vessel" sculpture at New York City's Hudson Yards, the fourth death there since it opened in 2019. Rising 150 feet, the ostentatiously pointless building quickly became a symbol of gentrification, the city's unwillingness to invest in affordable housing, and suicide.
As making it safe would compromise the architect's vision or whatever, they instituted a bunch of pop-psychology policies thinking they'd be able to spot suicidal people coming. It may now be closed for good to the public.
"We thought we did everything that would really prevent this," Ross told The Daily Beast. "It's hard to really fathom how something like that could happen. But you know, I feel terrible for the family."
Some community leaders say that Related could have done more.
"For Related to claim they did everything possible here is just not true," said Lowell Kern, chair of Manhattan Community Board 4, which operates in parts of western Manhattan, including Hudson Yards. "They could have raised the height of the barriers, and that would have prevented this tragedy. For reasons unknown to us they decided not to do that."
A glistening, modern, hygienic staircase to nothing but our own worst thoughts. They should turn it into a mausoleum for J.G. Ballard.
If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741
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