Last week, Hudson Yards made its grand debut, and according to the website, has hopes of being New York’s newest go-to neighborhood for diverse shops, food, offices, public art, plazas, and residences.

Located between 10th and 12th Ave. in Chelsea, the mall features connections to commuter rail service, the subway, the West Side Highway, the Lincoln Tunnel and ferries along the Hudson River.

The development is placed around an assortment of chic art galleries, inviting restaurants and bars, the High Line, and now, a new public square and gardens.

“[Hudson Yards] is in a very upcoming and developing area,” said Madison Hollenbeck, a King's freshman. “I thought it was very original architecture, and I felt like I was in the robots cartoon movie.”

With its unique architectural design, Hudson Yards is quickly becoming a popular “Instagrammable” spot. Thomas Heatherwick developed “the Vessel,” and the New York Post describes it as an “Instagram-worthy exterior undersides polished to a mirror-like copper sheen contrasted with black and red details on the interconnected staircases.” The Vessel in Hudson Yards may quickly become the most photographed spot of 2019.

The Vessel, located at the Hudson Yards, has become the unique spot for pictures and hanging out. || Photo credit to Lauren Bannister

“I think right now it’s a place people want to visit because it’s something new,” said King’s junior Jillian Cheney.“Especially for college students, taking pictures in front of the structures and walking around is fun. It’ll be interesting to see how many people are still interested in visiting in a year or so, especially if they can’t afford the higher-end goods.”

Costing more than $20 billion to build, Hudson Yards mall was reportedly conceived nearly two decades ago. However, the newest collection of shopping centers, restaurants, apartments and office buildings on Manhattan’s west side has made its debut. The question on many shoppers’ minds relates back to one thing: you may enjoy the mall if you can afford to shop there.

Justin Davidson of New York magazine wrote that the Hudson Yards is a “billionaire’s fantasy city” and that he “can’t help feeling like an alien here, as though I’ve crossed from real New York, with all its jangling mess, into a movie studio’s back-lot version. Everything is too clean, too flat, too art-directed.”

A college student on a budget may feel similar to Davidson when it comes to the abundance of luxuries.

“The mall was, overall, really fancy—from the architecture to the floors, to the inside of the shops,” Cheney said. “There was even luxurious decorations, like a fake claw-machine at the front of an ice cream shop.”

For college students wondering if the mall is worth the visit, it varies based on individual budgets and tastes.

The Neiman Marcus showcase for the high-end store located on levels 5, 6 and 7. || Photo credit to Lauren Bannister

Students searching to do some serious retail therapy may find that affordable prices at H&M and UNIQLO desirable. However, only a few floors up is the luxury goods store, Neiman Marcus. Showcasing Fendi and other high-end brands, the atmosphere precedes its reputation.

For most, it may be easier to save the trip and simply shop online to find better deals and the convenience to fit in with schedules. For some, this new mall may be a unique outlet for different styles, options, food, and exploring.

“I’m always going to want to go back to a physical store, and of course the convenience of having several stores together is just nice. But with this mall, in particular, most of the stores aren’t really meant to cater to those on a budget. So, more than fighting online shopping, I think the mall’s bigger challenge might be keeping customers even if they don’t want to spend a ton of money,” Cheney said.

Hudson Yards is an experience for everyone to test out, and it is it a small world at the fingertips of New Yorkers and visitors alike.

Hudson Yards Becomes New York’s Luxury Go-To Spot