Technology
Staten Island's New York Wheel differs from the usual design of supertall observation wheels.
By Colleen Park Posted 02.21.2013 at 10:01 am 3 Comments

New York Wheel New York Wheel LLC

When it’s finished, the New York Wheel will stand 625 feet above Staten Island, making it the tallest observation wheel in the world. It will depart from the design of other supertall observation wheels in several key ways. The 541-foot Singapore Flyer and the 443-foot London Eye, for example, are held in place by stability cables that run from their spindles to the earth. But to fit the New York Wheel on its narrow site, engineers will give it vertically oriented 320-foot-long legs anchored to the ground. For weatherproofing, engineers moved motion-control hardware from outside to inside the passenger capsules. (This will also make repairs much easier.) Construction of the $250-million project begins on-site next year. If all goes well, in 2016, passengers onboard will experience a 38-minute ride with views of the Statue of Liberty and Lower Manhattan (and Staten Island, too).

New York Wheel
New York Wheel:  Perkins Eastman

3 Comments

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Wanamingo
02/21/13 at 10:38 am

Another thing for movie monsters to destroy in NYC....

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Greenmatrix
02/21/13 at 11:30 am

Sorry but a ferris wheel this thin and this size just looks rediculous. It can be clearly seen from manhatten ruining the futuristic look of the city. That it worked in
London does not make it look good here. Especially since it's much taller and apperently gray instead of white. It just look like something out of a circus not something that belongs in a modern city like New York. But he, good luck. I'm not paying for this circus show.

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norbytherobot
03/02/13 at 8:26 pm

I don't think a giant ferris wheel is gonna be enough to lure all that many tourists to Staten Island, and even if they go they'll most likely just get back on the ferry and go back to Manhattan rather than "exploring" the borough, as is hoped for.