The tallest tower of the immense Hudson Yards megaproject, 30 Hudson Yards, is steadily rising on the southwest corner of 33rd Street and Tenth Avenue. Upon completion, the 90 story 1,296-foot-tall supertall skyscraper will be the 2nd tallest office building in New York, taller than even than the Empire State Building, which is 1,250 feet without its spire. The tower's glass cladding is already visible on its lower levels and as of mid-July, the building the building was already making its way past its 15th floor. Developers Related Companies and Oxford Properties have already fully leased the tower's 2.6 million square feet building's space with a tenant list that includes Time Warner, KKR, Related, Oxford, and Wells Fargo Securities, and Time Warner.
Time Warner, Inc. will occupy a total of 1.5 million square feet, bringing along its many affiliates in order to consolidate for the first time. CNN, HBO, Turner, and Warner Bros. will join the conglomerate in the new office. KKR has leased the top ten office floors, for a total of 343,000 square feet of space. Wells Fargo Securities has also secured 500,000 square feet in the building. Both will relocate their corporate offices to 30 Hudson Yards. Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group have also leased offices in the tower. The tower promises large, efficient floor plans, cutting-edge communications systems for tenants, and unparalleled amenities for workers.
Bill Pederson of Kohn Pederson Fox Associates designed the colossal tower, which will ultimately feature a shingled glass façade complementing its recently finished shorter twin, the Coach Tower at 10 Hudson Yards. According to Marianne Kwok, director at KPF, the two towers were designed in tandem with each other and together they will appear as though they are “engaged in a sort of perpetual dance.”
The office tower will host the highest outdoor observation deck in the city, pitched 1,100 feet in the air. The views of the city and rivers will simply be spectacular. Certain tenant floors will also host their own private outdoor terraces. At the ground floor, a dramatic triple-height lobby will greet employees and the tower will offer a direct connection to the the large retail mall planned alongside the building.
The completion of 30 Hudson Yards will mark but one milestone in the scheme of the entire Hudson Yards development. Upon expected completion in 2024, the site will include over 17 million square feet of commercial and residential space, featuring office towers, over 100 shops, a variety of restaurants, and roughly 4,000 residences. It will also host 14 acres of public open space, a public school for 750 children, and an Equinox branded luxury hotel. A new structure, dubbed "The Culture Shed" will abut the residential tower at 15 Hudson Yards, creating a new home for local and international creative industries. It will eventually host NY Fashion Week and the Tribeca Film Festival, as well as a myriad of art exhibits, Ted talks, and large product openings. Alongside the High Line, the entirety of Hudson Yards will not only reshape Manhattan’s western skyline, but also shift the so-called center of the city westward.