**Trigger warning: the following article discusses suicide**
Hudson Yards’s towering, climbable structure The Vessel closed in January after multiple heartbreaking suicides.
It will reopen this Friday, May 28, with new prevention safety measures in place.
Firstly, no one can visit alone — admission is restricted to groups of two people or more. Also admission is now $10, with a limited amount of free tickets available each day (previously it was free to all). The proceeds from those ticket sales will be used to pay for the extra security, the Times reported.
According to the New York Times, they will not raise the height of the barriers along the staircases, which the local Community Board 4 was urging.
Instead, security will be “tripled,” and staff will be trained to spot behavior that might indicate a person is in trouble. There will also be signs placed around the structure “discouraging suicides.” They have also partnered with the Born This Way Foundation, which helps those struggling with mental health.
The 150-foot-tall artistic creation by Thomas Heatherwick is comprised of 154 intricately interconnecting flights of stairs, almost 2,500 individual steps and 80 landings.
If you or a loved one is experiencing suicidal thoughts, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. Call 1-800-273-8255.
featured image source: Hudson Yards New York