Hudson Yards designated Manhattan’s first-ever LEED® Gold neighborhood development

Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group today announced that Hudson Yards' Eastern Yard, the first phase of the neighborhood that opened in March 2019, was awarded LEED Neighborhood Development Gold (LEED-ND) certification, making it the first neighborhood in Manhattan to receive the certification. Awarded by the United States Green Building Council for its green infrastructure, public transportation linkages, pedestrian-friendly community design and overall innovation, this LEED-ND certification furthers Hudson Yards’ position as one of the most sustainable, connected and forward-thinking urban neighborhoods in the country.

The certification of LEED Gold ND encompasses the residential, commercial and mixed-use buildings, platform infrastructure and Public Square & Gardens, all in Hudson Yards' Eastern Yard. In 2018, 10 Hudson Yards, one of the city’s most energy-efficient Class A office towers, was designated LEED Platinum. 

“Building a neighborhood from the ground up in the heart of New York City gave us the opportunity to create a blueprint for the future of sustainable urban living,” said L. Jay Cross, president of Hudson Yards. “Being designated as the first LEED Gold neighborhood in Manhattan underscores our commitment to responsible urban design, building a greener future for New Yorkers and establishing new benchmarks for cities globally.”

In addition to the impact of its sustainability and resiliency features, Hudson Yards has fundamentally shifted the gravity of New York City, and will bring tens of thousands of jobs, more than 1,000 units of newly created or preserved affordable housing in and around the neighborhood, 14 acres of public parks and open space and increased foot traffic and tourism to Manhattan’s West Side. Hudson Yards has also become an economic engine for New York City, already contributing more than $10 billion to the City’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during construction and serving as a significant source of revenue to the MTA. Once fully developed, Hudson Yards will contribute nearly $19 billion annually to New York City’s GDP, and nearly $1 billion annually in State and City taxes. 

“The LEED Gold certification of Hudson Yards is inspiring sustainability at the community level and shows how a healthier, more environmentally responsive design can lead to better connected centers of urban life,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC. “Hudson Yards, in the heart of New York City, is to be commended for its achievement and will allow millions of people to experience a LEED-certified neighborhood for the first time. Hudson Yards’ commitment to a sustainable urban future is a model for cities of the future. Through LEED, projects like these bring us closer to a more sustainable, prosperous future.”

“Integrated sustainable design like this is urgently needed to lower carbon emissions, enhance resilience and rethink what’s possible,” said John Mandyck, CEO of Urban Green Council.

As the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings, LEED recognizes Hudson Yards for its steadfast approach to building sustainable infrastructure, its community and wellness oriented public designs, tech-forward urban innovations and unwavering commitment to giving back to the city of New York. Key features of recognition include:

• Built upon a base of green infrastructure, the neighborhood operates on a first-of-its-kind microgrid with two cogeneration plants that saves 25,000 MT of CO2e greenhouse gases (equal to the annual emissions of 5,100 cars) from being emitted annually.
• Hudson Yards is a model for stormwater reuse with rainfall collected from rooftops and public spaces and stored in a 60,000-gallon tank in the platform that forms the base of the neighborhood. Stormwater is used to irrigate the over 200 mature trees and 28,000 plants in the public park as well as in mechanical systems to conserve potable drinking water, reducing stress on New York’s sewer system.
• The Public Square and Gardens at Hudson Yards is New York City’s smartest park featuring a sophisticated layered approach to root growth, nutrient delivery, temperature regulation, irrigation and drainage, making it possible to grow 200 mature trees over an active rail yard. Beyond the technical feat, the varied horticultural experience and nearly a mile of garden seating walls invite New Yorkers to gather outside and provide an urban oasis for over 225 types of bees, butterflies and other pollinators threatened by habitat loss and climate change.
• To encourage a flow of visitor traffic through environmentally conscious mass transportation, Hudson Yards is easily accessible by the No. 7 subway, Penn Station, three MTA bus lines and the Midtown ferry terminal.
• Hudson Yards’ interconnected walkways, green space and public landmarks provide outdoor recreation opportunities, including Vessel, an interactive public design piece at the center of the neighborhood that encourages visitors to explore new perspectives, angles and vantage points of Manhattan’s West Side.
• Over 1,000 units of affordable housing will be created or preserved in and around the Hudson Yards community when the project is complete, ensuring it is a sustainable neighborhood for all New Yorkers.

Related Companies has pioneered sustainability and urban energy solutions that address increasing demands on cities and contribute to building a better future. The firm developed one of the first LEED-certified residential buildings in the nation, Tribeca Green in New York, and the Midwest’s first LEED-certified residential building, 340 on the Park. Related has already completed 36 LEED Silver, Gold or Platinum buildings across the country, has retrofitted numerous assets including affordable housing and has built the tallest passive house in the world with Cornell Tech on Roosevelt Island. Related and its strategic partners have also installed over 130 MW of solar technology.

For more information about Hudson Yards, please visit HudsonYardsNewYork.com. 

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About Related:
Related Companies is a global real estate and lifestyle company defined by innovation and the most prominent privately-owned real estate firm in the United States. Formed over 40 years ago, Related is a fully-integrated, highly diversified industry leader with experience in virtually every aspect of development, acquisitions, management, finance, marketing and sales. Headquartered in New York City, Related has offices and major developments in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, South Florida, Washington, D.C., Abu Dhabi and London, and boasts a team of approximately 4,000 professionals. With over $60 billion in assets owned or under development including the 28-acre Hudson Yards neighborhood on Manhattan’s West Side, The Grand and Related Santa Clara in California and The 78 in Chicago. Related was recently named to Fast Company Magazine’s list of the 50 Most Innovative Companies in the World. For more information about Related, please visit www.related.com. 

About Oxford Properties Group:
Oxford Properties Group is one of the world’s premier real estate investment, development and management companies. Established in 1960, Oxford manages over $40 billion of real estate assets on behalf of its co-owners and investment partners, with a global portfolio spanning over 60 million square feet. We have offices across Canada and in London, Luxembourg, Boston, Washington D.C. and New York, with regional investment, development and management professionals who have deep real estate expertise and local market insight. Oxford is the global real estate arm of OMERS, the pension plan for Ontario’s municipal employees. For more information about our hands-on approach to real estate, visit www.oxfordproperties.com.