By: David Koffstein
The highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere will open this March 11th at Edge at Hudson Yards.
Edge’s one-of-a-kind design is suspended in mid-air, giving visitors the feeling of floating in the sky with 360-degree views they can’t get anywhere else. “Look 100 stories down from the thrilling glass floor, lean out over the city on angled glass walls and sip champagne in the sky. You’ve never experienced New York like this before,” boasts its web site.
The viewing platform – a dizzying 1,100 feet above street level – will give visitors a view of nearly the entire city. It will also offer a champagne bar on the one hundredth floor that will be operated by the London-based Rhubarb Hospitality Group.
Tickets became available for sale last week.
The Edge platform extends 80-feet out from the 100th floor of 30 Hudson Yards. “Its 7,500-square-feet of viewing area will include a glass platform where those who immune to vertigo can look down into the neighborhood as though “walking out into the sky,” as described by Jason Horkin, executive director of Hudson Yards Experiences,” reported Crain’s New York Business. The cost of admission will be $36 for adults and $31 for children.
Admission to the One World Observatory, from 8am to midnight, are priced at $35. Tickets to the Empire State Building’s 86th-floor observatory and Top of the Rock, the 70th-floor observation deck at 30 Rockefeller, cost slightly more at $38.
“You’ve never experienced New York like this before,” said Horkin. “The entire experience is designed to inspire visitors and ignite a new passion for New York City with multiple, built-in thrill elements that ensure Edge becomes a must-see local attraction and a top spot on every travelers’ bucket list.”
Edge will be open seven days a week year-round from 8:00 AM to midnight. General admission adult tickets are $36 purchased online and $38 purchased on-site. Child tickets are $31 purchased online and $33 on-site. New York City residents can buy adult tickets online for $34. Special rates available for seniors, active and retired members of the U.S. military and groups.
The champagne bar will be operated by London-based rhubarb hospitality group. Rhubarb will also operate Peak, the restaurant, bar, café and event space located on the 101st Floor. Peak will serve lunch and dinner offering a one-of-a-kind dining and social experience.
Designed by William Pedersen and Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) and extending out 80 feet from the 100th floor of 30 Hudson Yards, Edge redefines the New York skyline. A marvel of modern engineering and structural design, the 765,000-pound observation deck is comprised of 15 sections, each weighing between 35,000 and 100,000 pounds, all bolted together and anchored to the east and south sides of the building. The 7,500-square-foot outdoor viewing area is surrounded by 79 glass panels, each weighing 1,400 pounds, manufactured in Germany and finished in Italy. Interiors of Edge and Peak are being designed by Rockwell Group.
