NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) -- The 2022 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was cut down in upstate New York on Thursday ahead of its epic 200-mile journey to Manhattan.
The 82-foot-tall Norway Spruce was felled in Queensbury, about an hour north of Albany, where it had stood for 85 to 95 years.
Photos shows a crowd gathered Thursday morning as the tree was hoisted up by a crane.
The tree stood in the area for up to 95 years before it was felled Thursday for the journey to New York City.AP Images for Tishman Speyer
The stunning spruce is being donated by the Lebowitz Family, of nearby Glens Falls.
Neil Lebowitz told 1010 WINS on Thursday that he was sad to see the tree go but that it's "a tree for the world" now.
"Hopefully it makes a lot of people happy and cheers up some people who aren't," he said.
Neil Lebowitz (pictured) told 1010 WINS the beloved spruce from a quiet corner of upstate New York is now a "tree for the world."AP Images for Tishman Speyer
His family will be at Rockefeller Center for the Nov. 30 tree lighting to kick off the holiday season.
The tree will arrive at Rockefeller Center on Saturday. A crane will hoist it into position at the plaza and then scaffolding will be erected around it so it can be decorated with 50,000 lights on five miles of wire.
Delaney, 6, holds a sign wishing the tree safe travels to Manhattan, where it will arrive Nov. 10.AP Images for Tishman Speyer
The evergreen will be topped with a 9-foot, 900-pound Swarovski star designed by architect Daniel Libeskind. The star features 70 spikes and 3 million glimmering crystals.
Hundreds of solar panels atop Rockefeller Center will help power the shimmering lights throughout the season.
The tree will stay up until mid-January. It will then be milled into lumber for Habitat for Humanity.
A crowd gathered to watch the tree be removed on Thursday morning in Queensbury, about an hour north of Albany.AP Images for Tishman Speyer
The 82-foot-tall Norway Spruce before it was cut down.Tishman Speyer
Like last year's tree, the spruce from Queensbury will be adorned with thousands of LED lights through the holiday season. This year's tree lighting is on Nov. 30.Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
