Back in 2012, Mayor Michael Bloomberg revealed a plan to construct a Ferris wheel on the North Shore of Staten Island called the “New York Wheel.” Now, as of 2017, the massive wheel is currently under construction with cranes working tirelessly to construct it.

Before revealing the height of the wheel, you should probably know that a 430 foot crane, towering over the St. George skyline, had to be created from 360 foot cranes. To put it into perspective, most standard Ferris wheels at carnivals stand at about 63 feet tall. (This is six times shorter than the cranes working on the New York Wheel!)

The New York Wheel will stand at an impressive 630 feet. Once completed, it will be the largest Ferris wheel in the world with any competition coming in far behind it. The wheel will end up being 170 feet taller than the crane being used to create it.

The New York Wheel was inspired by the famous London Eye, a 430 foot Ferris wheel located London. Meir Laufer, a developer, first proposed the idea to bring a similar wheel into New York in 2008.

The deal was sealed right before September 2012 when Mayor Bloomberg publicly announced that the project was approved.  Bloomberg explained, “The wheel will offer unparalleled and breathtaking views, and is sure to become one of the premier attractions in New York City.”  In addition to becoming a new landmark, the New York Wheel was designed to help revitalize activity on the North Shore of Staten Island.

Although the estimated competition for the wheel was 2016 it is now rumored that the wheel will be completed in 2018. Once finished, the attraction will feature 36 pods and each pod will be able to hold 40 people. With $7 million worth of LED lighting, it will also earn a spot on the New York skyline.

Visit Astro Crane’s blog post for more crane news and visit our website for our hydraulic cranes that provide service all over New England.