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By Deepti Hajela

The Associated Press

NEW YORK 鈥� When the Vessel, a 150-foot-tall piece of public art, opened two and a half years ago near the Hudson River, it looked like another surefire Manhattan tourist draw. The structure鈥檚 strange honeycomb of platforms and staircases, partially ringed by skyscrapers, offered striking views of the waterfront and quickly became an Instagram favorite.

But these days the Vessel stands closed and empty, its entrances blocked off with chains or metal barricades, after a 14-year-old boy last month became the fourth person to fatally leap from the sculpture.

The death on July 29, a mere two months after the sculpture had reopened following previous suicides, has reinvigorated a call for real estate developer Related Companies to raise the height of the waist-high railings on the sides of the stairs and platforms.

鈥淭he only thing that鈥檚 going to work is raising the height of the barriers,鈥� said Lowell Kern, chairman of Community Board 4, which represents residents of the area. 鈥淎t this point, after four deaths, artistic vision doesn鈥檛 matter anymore.鈥�

Custodians of tall landmarks in New York City and elsewhere have long had to deal with the reality of having to balance a desire for thrilling views and aesthetics with a need for suicide prevention measures, like nets or barriers. Some parties have installed such items at high-profile locations like the George Washington Bridge.

Related Cos., led by billionaire Stephen Ross, and the studio of the Vessel鈥檚 designer, Thomas Heatherwick, had implemented a number of measures at the sculpture intended to prevent deaths. However, after a 21-year-old man became the third person to fatally jump from one of the structure鈥檚 platforms, in January 2021, Related聽closed聽the structure to evaluate its options.

When the Vessel reopened in May, it had extra security personnel, signs with suicide prevention information and an unusual rule: Nobody could enter the structure alone.

That creative solution didn鈥檛 work. The boy who died in July was with his family when he leaped.

Now, the sculpture is closed again. Related has said only that the Vessel will remain shut while it continues to evaluate what to do next.

Heatherwick Studios stated that it was 鈥渄istraught.鈥� It had 鈥渆xhaustively explored physical solutions that would increase safety,鈥� the company stated, 鈥渁nd they require further rigorous tests, and while we have not identified one yet, we continue to work to identify a solution that is feasible in terms of engineering and installation.鈥�

The local community board sent a letter after the first death in 2020, suggesting installation of taller barriers, but got no official response, Kern said.

Some studies of suicide in New York City have found there are more deaths by long falls than by gunshots or drug overdoses. New York University struggled with suicides in the indoor atrium at its 12-story Bobst Library. Officials first installed plexiglass barricades as a prevention measure, and then upgraded to perforated aluminum screens to enclose its crosswalks when the plexiglass didn鈥檛 stop one more death.

Dozens of people have died jumping from the Empire State Building over the decades, both from office windows and from the outdoor observation deck, which was ringed with a high, spiked fence after publicity of suicides there in the 1940s.

Officials responsible for the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco are currently spearheading a suicide barrier project expected to finish in 2023. Steel netting will be installed along both sides of the entire expanse, 20 feet (about six meters) below the bridge and extending 20 feet out.

The project鈥檚 launch required years of discussion and debate, said Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz, public affairs manager for the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway & Transportation District. There was opposition at times, from those who doubted whether barriers would work and questioned what the physical impact on the iconic bridge would be, he said.

Currently, deterrents at the bridge include signage and constant patrols by officers, who Cosulich-Schwartz said are able to prevent the vast majority of suicide attempts. Nevertheless, he said, each year there are on average about 30 suicides at the bridge.

鈥淵ou talk to the families that have lost loved ones at the bridge and it becomes clear quickly that one is too many,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd if there鈥檚 something that we can do to reduce or eliminate suicide on our iconic structure, that鈥檚 something we can and should be doing.鈥�

On a recent day, visitors to the plaza where the Vessel stands were open to the idea of adapting the structure out of safety concerns.

鈥淚t is beautiful, and I imagine that the concept, the idea, was that in each level you have a frame of the city 鈥� but it鈥檚 a failed design,鈥� said Natalia Villarejo, 38, of Puerto Rico, who was looking forward to climbing the Vessel before discovering it was closed.

鈥淚 think if you could do it, and still keep the Vessel looking as good as it does within the city, it should be explored,鈥� said visitor Eddie Mitchell, 18, of St. Louis.

Elyse Manterfield, a member of Mitchell鈥檚 party, said perhaps public access should be limited permanently.

鈥淭o a certain extent,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 art for art鈥檚 sake, and I鈥檇 be OK not being able to climb it and simply experience it.鈥�

Editor鈥檚 note: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.