World Trade Center (PATH station)
Encyclopedia
The World Trade Center PATH
station originally opened on July 19, 1909 as the Hudson Terminal. When the Hudson Terminal was torn down to make way for the World Trade Center
, a new station was built, which opened in 1971. This station served as the terminus for the Newark-World Trade Center
and Hoboken-World Trade Center
routes until it was destroyed during the September 11, 2001 attacks
. A temporary station was built, which opened on November 23, 2003. The station is currently undergoing a major reconstruction project and will become the World Trade Center Transportation Hub after its completion in the second quarter of 2014.
Hudson Terminal was built by the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad at the turn of the twentieth century and was located between Greenwich, Cortlandt, Church, and Fulton Streets. The Hudson Terminal included two 22-story office buildings located above the station.
The terminal was an architectural and engineering marvel of its time, designed with ramps to allow pedestrian traffic to flow in and out of the station quickly and easily. The station was served by two single-track tubes connected by a loop to speed train movements. The loop included five tracks and 3 platforms (2 center island and one side) and is somewhat similar to the current arrangement. By 1914, passenger volume at the Hudson Terminal had reached 30,535,500 annually. Volume nearly doubled by 1922, with 59,221,354 passengers that year at the Hudson Terminal.
Overall ridership on New Jersey's Hudson and Manhattan Railroad (H&M) declined substantially from a high of 113 million riders in 1927 to 26 million in 1958, after new automobile tunnels and bridges opened across the Hudson River
. The State of New Jersey was interested in getting the Port Authority to take over the railroad, but the Port Authority long viewed it as something unprofitable that they were never interested in. In the late 1950s, the Port Authority proposed to build a "world trade center" in New York City, on the east side of Lower Manhattan along the East River
.
As a bi-state agency, Port Authority projects require approval from both the states of New Jersey
and New York
. Toward the end of 1961, negotiations with outgoing New Jersey Governor Robert B. Meyner
regarding the World Trade Center project reached a stalemate. In December 1961, Port Authority executive director Austin J. Tobin
met with newly elected New Jersey Governor Richard J. Hughes
, and made a proposal to shift the World Trade Center project to a west side site where the Hudson Terminal
was located.
In acquiring the Hudson & Manhattan Railroad, the Port Authority would also acquire the Hudson Terminal and other buildings which were deemed obsolete. On January 22, 1962, the two states reached an agreement to allow the Port Authority to take over the railroad and to build the World Trade Center on Manhattan's lower west side. The shift in location for the World Trade Center to a site more convenient to New Jersey, together with Port Authority acquisition of the H&M Railroad, brought New Jersey to agreement in support of the World Trade Center project.
, with the bedrock located 65 feet (20 m) below. A new method was used to construct a slurry wall
that would keep water from the Hudson River
out. During excavation of the site and construction
of the towers, the original Hudson Tubes
remained in service as elevated tunnels. The Hudson Terminal was shut down in 1971 when a new PATH station was completed. The new WTC PATH station cost $35 million to build. At the time, the station had a passenger volume of 85,000 daily.
The new PATH station opened on July 6, 1971, and was sited at a different location from the original Hudson Terminal. The PATH station platform was slightly longer than its predecessor, accommodating 10-car trains versus the 6-car trains that the Hudson Terminal could handle. The tight turns in the loop into the Hudson Terminal were made less tight in the new station. While construction of the World Trade Center
neared completion, a temporary corridor was provided to take passengers between the station and a temporary entrance on Church Street. When it opened, the station had nine high-speed escalators between the platform level and the mezzanine level. The WTC PATH station was served by Newark-World Trade Center
and Hoboken-World Trade Center
trains.
When the 1993 World Trade Center bombing
occurred, a section of ceiling in the PATH station collapsed and trapped dozens. Nonetheless, the PATH station did not suffer any structural damage. Within a week, the Port Authority was able to resume PATH service to the World Trade Center.
The PATH station was connected to the World Trade Center towers, via an underground concourse and shopping center
. There were also underground connections to the New York City Subway
( trains and trains). Prior to September 11, the mall had been leased to The Westfield Group
, which intended to rename the mall Westfield Shoppingtown World Trade Center, and embark on a major expansion and renovation program. Plans called for the addition of 200000 square feet (18,580.6 m²) of new mall space and a few well-known sit-down restaurants. By 2001, the volume of passengers using the WTC PATH station was approximately 25,000 daily.
Soon after Flight 11
(first plane) hit the North Tower on 9/11, the PATH station was shut down by order from PATH's deputy director, Victoria Cross Kelly, and Richie Moran who commanded the PATH system at the Journal Square Transportation Center. A train from Newark that came into the terminal at 8:55 a.m. stopped only to pick up passengers. A second train, from Hoboken, came through at 9:00 a.m. but did not stop and returned to New Jersey. PATH sent an empty train to the station at 9:10 a.m. to pick up a dozen PATH employees, as well as a homeless individual, leaving the PATH station empty.
With the station destroyed, service to Lower Manhattan was suspended for over two years. Exchange Place
, the next station on the Newark–World Trade Center line, also had to be closed because it could not operate as a terminal station
. Instead, two uptown services (Newark–33rd Street (red) and Hoboken – 33rd Street (blue)) and one intrastate New Jersey service (Hoboken-Journal Square (green)) were put into operation.
Cleanup of the Exchange Place station was needed after the attacks. As well, the downtown Hudson tubes had been flooded, which destroyed the track infrastructure. Modifications to the tracks were also required since the Exchange Place station was never designed as a terminal station. The Exchange Place station re-opened in June 2003. PATH service to Lower Manhattan was restored when a temporary station opened on November 23, 2003. The inaugural train was the same one that had been used for the evacuation (see photo at left).
The temporary PATH station was designed by Port Authority chief architect Robert I. Davidson and constructed at a cost of $323 million. The station features a canopy entrance along Church Street
and a 118-by-12 foot mosaic
mural
, "Iridescent Lightning," by Giulio Candussio of the Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli in Spilimbergo
, Italy
. The station is also adorned with opaque panel walls inscribed with inspirational quotes attesting to the greatness and resilience of New York City. These panels partially shield the World Trade Center site
from view.
In the 9/11 attacks, some sections of the station including the floor and the signage on the northeast corner, were only lightly damaged in the collapse of the World Trade Center
. These sections of the station were retained in the temporary PATH station, and will remain in the new station, where it connects with the platforms for the and trains. Following its reopening and the resumption of Newark-World Trade Center
and Hoboken-World Trade Center
service, the station quickly reclaimed its status as the busiest station in the PATH system.
The World Trade Center PATH station was also home to a Storycorps
booth which opened in 2005. Through this program, visitors could arrange to give oral recorded histories of the disaster. The booth closed in Spring 2007 to make way for construction at the World Trade Center site
. In June 2007, the street entrance to the temporary station was closed and demolished as part of the ongoing site construction. A set of new staircases was constructed several feet to the south, and a "tent" structure was added to provide cover from the elements. The tent structure, by Voorsanger Architects and installed at a cost of $275,000, was designed to have an "aspiring quality" according to architect Bartholomew Voorsanger. That entrance on Church Street was closed in April 2008 when the entrance was relocated once again. On April 1, 2008, the third new temporary entrance to the PATH station opened for commuters. The entrance is located on Vesey Street, adjacent to 7 World Trade Center
. It will serve as the entrance through at least 2011.
The station also connects to several New York City Subway
services:
One connection is currently closed:
The Fulton Street station complex
is one block away. There is street-level connection to the following services:
at an estimated cost of $3.44 billion.
A large transit station was not part of the 2003 Memory Foundations
master plan for the site by Daniel Libeskind
, which called for a smaller station along the lines of the original subterranean station that existed beneath the World Trade Center. Libeskind's design called for the space to be left open, forming a "Wedge of Light" so that sun rays around the autumnal equinox
would hit the World Trade Center footprints each September.
In early 2004, the Port Authority, which owns the land, modified the Libeskind plan to include a world-class transportation station downtown that was intended to rival Penn Station
and Grand Central Terminal
. In a nod to the Liebeskind concept, the station will be at an angle to maximize the effect of the autumnal equinox rays.
Lower Manhattan
has never had an ambitious transit or railroad center, as the former complex at the World Trade Center was built beneath the buildings. The station is designed to connect the PATH to the New York City Subway system. An underground passageway east, along Dey Street
, is being constructed as part of the Fulton Street Transit Center
project, which will link the new station with the subway's services. There will also be a passageway west to the World Financial Center
and the Battery Park City Ferry Terminal
. A proposal for a connection to the Long Island Rail Road
and John F. Kennedy International Airport
via a new tunnel under the East River
, the Lower Manhattan-Jamaica/JFK Transportation Project
, is currently in the alternatives analysis stage.
, designer of the station, said it resembles a bird being released from a child's hand. The roof was originally designed to mechanically open to increase light and ventilation to the enclosed space. Herbert Muschamp
, architecture critic of The New York Times, wrote:
Another critic wrote:
However, Calatrava's original soaring spike design has been scaled back because of security issues. The Times observed:
The design was further modified to eliminate the opening and closing roof mechanism because of budget and space constraints.
The station has also stirred problems with developer Larry Silverstein
, who owns the lease for the World Trade Center site, since it took away available space for his proposed buildings.
in 2006. The permanent station is scheduled to be completed in 2013.
On July 8, 2008, the first prefabricated "ribs" for the pedestrian walkway under Fulton Street were installed on the site. The mezzanine level of the station is undergoing major construction and work on the foundation is still underway.
As of March 1, 2011, over 225 of the 300 steel pieces which make up the roof of the station have been installed. Later that month installation of the Vierendeel Truss, one of the hub's key components, began with the installation of a 50-ton section of the truss. When fully installed the combined weight of the truss will weigh 271 tons. The truss will serve as the mezzanine roof and also act as a support for the northeast corner of the WTC Memorial.
As of October 9, 2011, work progresses rapidly on the new transit center as it moves its way towards the completion date.
Port Authority Trans-Hudson
PATH, derived from Port Authority Trans-Hudson, is a rapid transit railroad linking Manhattan, New York City with Newark, Harrison, Hoboken and Jersey City in metropolitan northern New Jersey...
station originally opened on July 19, 1909 as the Hudson Terminal. When the Hudson Terminal was torn down to make way for the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
, a new station was built, which opened in 1971. This station served as the terminus for the Newark-World Trade Center
Newark-World Trade Center (PATH service)
The Newark–World Trade Center is a rapid transit service operated by the Port Authority Trans-Hudson . It is colored red on the PATH service map and trains on this service display red marker lights. This service operates from Pennsylvania Station in Newark, New Jersey, by way of the Downtown Hudson...
and Hoboken-World Trade Center
Hoboken-World Trade Center (PATH service)
The Hoboken–World Trade Center is a rapid transit service operated by the Port Authority Trans-Hudson . It is colored green on the PATH service map and trains on this service display green marker lights. This service operates from the Hoboken Terminal in Hoboken, New Jersey, by way of the Downtown...
routes until it was destroyed during the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
. A temporary station was built, which opened on November 23, 2003. The station is currently undergoing a major reconstruction project and will become the World Trade Center Transportation Hub after its completion in the second quarter of 2014.
Hudson Terminal
- see main article Hudson TerminalHudson TerminalHudson Terminal was an urban railway station on the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad in Lower Manhattan, New York City, and the office skyscraper built to serve the terminal.- Station :...
Hudson Terminal was built by the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad at the turn of the twentieth century and was located between Greenwich, Cortlandt, Church, and Fulton Streets. The Hudson Terminal included two 22-story office buildings located above the station.
The terminal was an architectural and engineering marvel of its time, designed with ramps to allow pedestrian traffic to flow in and out of the station quickly and easily. The station was served by two single-track tubes connected by a loop to speed train movements. The loop included five tracks and 3 platforms (2 center island and one side) and is somewhat similar to the current arrangement. By 1914, passenger volume at the Hudson Terminal had reached 30,535,500 annually. Volume nearly doubled by 1922, with 59,221,354 passengers that year at the Hudson Terminal.
Overall ridership on New Jersey's Hudson and Manhattan Railroad (H&M) declined substantially from a high of 113 million riders in 1927 to 26 million in 1958, after new automobile tunnels and bridges opened across the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. The State of New Jersey was interested in getting the Port Authority to take over the railroad, but the Port Authority long viewed it as something unprofitable that they were never interested in. In the late 1950s, the Port Authority proposed to build a "world trade center" in New York City, on the east side of Lower Manhattan along the East River
East River
The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
.
As a bi-state agency, Port Authority projects require approval from both the states of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Toward the end of 1961, negotiations with outgoing New Jersey Governor Robert B. Meyner
Robert B. Meyner
Robert Baumle Meyner of Phillipsburg, New Jersey was an American Democratic Party politician, who served as the 44th Governor of New Jersey, from 1954 to 1962...
regarding the World Trade Center project reached a stalemate. In December 1961, Port Authority executive director Austin J. Tobin
Austin J. Tobin
Austin Joseph Tobin served as the executive director of the Port of New York Authority, the precursor to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, from 1942 until 1972...
met with newly elected New Jersey Governor Richard J. Hughes
Richard J. Hughes
Richard Joseph Hughes was an American Democratic Party politician, who served as the 45th Governor of New Jersey from 1962 to 1970, and as Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1973–1979...
, and made a proposal to shift the World Trade Center project to a west side site where the Hudson Terminal
Hudson Terminal
Hudson Terminal was an urban railway station on the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad in Lower Manhattan, New York City, and the office skyscraper built to serve the terminal.- Station :...
was located.
In acquiring the Hudson & Manhattan Railroad, the Port Authority would also acquire the Hudson Terminal and other buildings which were deemed obsolete. On January 22, 1962, the two states reached an agreement to allow the Port Authority to take over the railroad and to build the World Trade Center on Manhattan's lower west side. The shift in location for the World Trade Center to a site more convenient to New Jersey, together with Port Authority acquisition of the H&M Railroad, brought New Jersey to agreement in support of the World Trade Center project.
World Trade Center
Groundbreaking on the World Trade Center took place in 1966. The site of the World Trade Center was located on landfillLand reclamation
Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, is the process to create new land from sea or riverbeds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamation ground or landfill.- Habitation :...
, with the bedrock located 65 feet (20 m) below. A new method was used to construct a slurry wall
Slurry wall
A slurry wall is a technique used to build reinforced-concrete walls in areas of soft earth close to open water or with a high ground water table. This technique is typically used to build diaphragm walls surrounding tunnels and open cuts, and to lay foundations.A trench is excavated to create a...
that would keep water from the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
out. During excavation of the site and construction
Construction of the World Trade Center
The construction of the World Trade Center was conceived as an urban renewal project, spearheaded by David Rockefeller, to help revitalize Lower Manhattan. The project was developed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which hired architect Minoru Yamasaki who came up with the specific...
of the towers, the original Hudson Tubes
Downtown Hudson Tubes
The Downtown Hudson Tubes are a pair of tunnels that carry PATH trains under the Hudson River between New York City and Jersey City in the United States. In lower Manhattan the trains travel to and from the World Trade Center station. In Jersey City the trains stop at the Exchange Place station...
remained in service as elevated tunnels. The Hudson Terminal was shut down in 1971 when a new PATH station was completed. The new WTC PATH station cost $35 million to build. At the time, the station had a passenger volume of 85,000 daily.
The new PATH station opened on July 6, 1971, and was sited at a different location from the original Hudson Terminal. The PATH station platform was slightly longer than its predecessor, accommodating 10-car trains versus the 6-car trains that the Hudson Terminal could handle. The tight turns in the loop into the Hudson Terminal were made less tight in the new station. While construction of the World Trade Center
Construction of the World Trade Center
The construction of the World Trade Center was conceived as an urban renewal project, spearheaded by David Rockefeller, to help revitalize Lower Manhattan. The project was developed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which hired architect Minoru Yamasaki who came up with the specific...
neared completion, a temporary corridor was provided to take passengers between the station and a temporary entrance on Church Street. When it opened, the station had nine high-speed escalators between the platform level and the mezzanine level. The WTC PATH station was served by Newark-World Trade Center
Newark-World Trade Center (PATH service)
The Newark–World Trade Center is a rapid transit service operated by the Port Authority Trans-Hudson . It is colored red on the PATH service map and trains on this service display red marker lights. This service operates from Pennsylvania Station in Newark, New Jersey, by way of the Downtown Hudson...
and Hoboken-World Trade Center
Hoboken-World Trade Center (PATH service)
The Hoboken–World Trade Center is a rapid transit service operated by the Port Authority Trans-Hudson . It is colored green on the PATH service map and trains on this service display green marker lights. This service operates from the Hoboken Terminal in Hoboken, New Jersey, by way of the Downtown...
trains.
When the 1993 World Trade Center bombing
1993 World Trade Center bombing
The 1993 World Trade Center bombing occurred on February 26, 1993, when a truck bomb was detonated below the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The 1,336 lb urea nitrate–hydrogen gas enhanced device was intended to knock the North Tower into the South Tower , bringing...
occurred, a section of ceiling in the PATH station collapsed and trapped dozens. Nonetheless, the PATH station did not suffer any structural damage. Within a week, the Port Authority was able to resume PATH service to the World Trade Center.
The PATH station was connected to the World Trade Center towers, via an underground concourse and shopping center
The Mall at the World Trade Center
The Mall at the World Trade Center was a shopping center located in the concourse area of the World Trade Center before it was destroyed on September 11, 2001.-Prior to 9/11:...
. There were also underground connections to the New York City Subway
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
( trains and trains). Prior to September 11, the mall had been leased to The Westfield Group
The Westfield Group
The Westfield Group is an Australian shopping centre group undertaking ownership, development, design, construction, funds/asset management, property management, leasing and marketing activities...
, which intended to rename the mall Westfield Shoppingtown World Trade Center, and embark on a major expansion and renovation program. Plans called for the addition of 200000 square feet (18,580.6 m²) of new mall space and a few well-known sit-down restaurants. By 2001, the volume of passengers using the WTC PATH station was approximately 25,000 daily.
Soon after Flight 11
American Airlines Flight 11
American Airlines Flight 11 was American Airlines' daily scheduled morning transcontinental flight from Logan International Airport, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Los Angeles International Airport, in Los Angeles, California...
(first plane) hit the North Tower on 9/11, the PATH station was shut down by order from PATH's deputy director, Victoria Cross Kelly, and Richie Moran who commanded the PATH system at the Journal Square Transportation Center. A train from Newark that came into the terminal at 8:55 a.m. stopped only to pick up passengers. A second train, from Hoboken, came through at 9:00 a.m. but did not stop and returned to New Jersey. PATH sent an empty train to the station at 9:10 a.m. to pick up a dozen PATH employees, as well as a homeless individual, leaving the PATH station empty.
Temporary PATH station
Exchange Place (PATH station)
The Exchange Place PATH station, opened on July 19, 1909, is located at Exchange Place in Jersey City, New Jersey, adjacent to the Hudson River at Paulus Hook. The station serves the Goldman Sachs Tower and other buildings in this area, also sometimes referred to as "Wall Street West".The station...
, the next station on the Newark–World Trade Center line, also had to be closed because it could not operate as a terminal station
Terminal Station
Terminal Station is a 1953 film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
. Instead, two uptown services (Newark–33rd Street (red) and Hoboken – 33rd Street (blue)) and one intrastate New Jersey service (Hoboken-Journal Square (green)) were put into operation.
The temporary PATH station was designed by Port Authority chief architect Robert I. Davidson and constructed at a cost of $323 million. The station features a canopy entrance along Church Street
Church Street (Manhattan)
Church Street is a short but heavily travelled north/south street in Lower Manhattan in New York City. It runs along the eastern edge of the site of the World Trade Center destroyed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Its southern end is at Trinity Place, of which it is a continuation...
and a 118-by-12 foot mosaic
Mosaic
Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
mural
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
, "Iridescent Lightning," by Giulio Candussio of the Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli in Spilimbergo
Spilimbergo
Spilimbergo is a town, with a population of 11,635, located northeast of Venice in the province of Pordenone in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, northern Italy...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The station is also adorned with opaque panel walls inscribed with inspirational quotes attesting to the greatness and resilience of New York City. These panels partially shield the World Trade Center site
World Trade Center site
The World Trade Center site , also known as "Ground Zero" after the September 11 attacks, sits on in Lower Manhattan in New York City...
from view.
In the 9/11 attacks, some sections of the station including the floor and the signage on the northeast corner, were only lightly damaged in the collapse of the World Trade Center
Collapse of the World Trade Center
The twin towers of the World Trade Center collapsed on September 11, 2001, as a result of al-Qaeda's September 11 attacks, in which terrorists affiliated with al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners, flying one into the North Tower and another into the South Tower...
. These sections of the station were retained in the temporary PATH station, and will remain in the new station, where it connects with the platforms for the and trains. Following its reopening and the resumption of Newark-World Trade Center
Newark-World Trade Center (PATH service)
The Newark–World Trade Center is a rapid transit service operated by the Port Authority Trans-Hudson . It is colored red on the PATH service map and trains on this service display red marker lights. This service operates from Pennsylvania Station in Newark, New Jersey, by way of the Downtown Hudson...
and Hoboken-World Trade Center
Hoboken-World Trade Center (PATH service)
The Hoboken–World Trade Center is a rapid transit service operated by the Port Authority Trans-Hudson . It is colored green on the PATH service map and trains on this service display green marker lights. This service operates from the Hoboken Terminal in Hoboken, New Jersey, by way of the Downtown...
service, the station quickly reclaimed its status as the busiest station in the PATH system.
The World Trade Center PATH station was also home to a Storycorps
StoryCorps
StoryCorps is an American non-profit organization whose mission is to record, preserve, and share the stories of Americans from all backgrounds and beliefs. StoryCorps grew out of Sound Portraits Productions as a project founded in 2003 by radio producer David Isay...
booth which opened in 2005. Through this program, visitors could arrange to give oral recorded histories of the disaster. The booth closed in Spring 2007 to make way for construction at the World Trade Center site
World Trade Center site
The World Trade Center site , also known as "Ground Zero" after the September 11 attacks, sits on in Lower Manhattan in New York City...
. In June 2007, the street entrance to the temporary station was closed and demolished as part of the ongoing site construction. A set of new staircases was constructed several feet to the south, and a "tent" structure was added to provide cover from the elements. The tent structure, by Voorsanger Architects and installed at a cost of $275,000, was designed to have an "aspiring quality" according to architect Bartholomew Voorsanger. That entrance on Church Street was closed in April 2008 when the entrance was relocated once again. On April 1, 2008, the third new temporary entrance to the PATH station opened for commuters. The entrance is located on Vesey Street, adjacent to 7 World Trade Center
7 World Trade Center
7 World Trade Center is a building in New York City located across from the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan. It is the second building to bear that name and address in that location. The original structure was completed in 1987 and was destroyed in the September 11 attacks...
. It will serve as the entrance through at least 2011.
New York City Subway connections
| Station service legend | |
|---|---|
| Symbol | Description |
The station also connects to several New York City Subway
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
services:
- The trains at the Park Place station of the IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line
- The trains at the Chambers Street – World Trade Center station of the IND Eighth Avenue LineIND Eighth Avenue LineThe Eighth Avenue Line is a rapid transit line in New York City, United States, and is part of the B Division of the New York City Subway...
- The trains at the Cortlandt StreetCortlandt Street (BMT Broadway Line)Cortlandt Street is a local station on the BMT Broadway Line of the New York City Subway, located under Church Street, between Fulton and Cortlandt Streets in Lower Manhattan. It is served by the R train at all times except late nights, when the N train replaces it.This underground station, opened...
station of the BMT Broadway LineBMT Broadway LineThe BMT Broadway Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway in Manhattan, New York City, United States. , it is served by three services, all colored yellow: the on the express tracks and the on the local tracks...
One connection is currently closed:
- The train at the Cortlandt Street station on the IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line (closed indefinitely pending reconstruction of the World Trade Center siteWorld Trade Center siteThe World Trade Center site , also known as "Ground Zero" after the September 11 attacks, sits on in Lower Manhattan in New York City...
)
The Fulton Street station complex
Fulton Street (New York City Subway)
Fulton Street is a station complex on the New York City Subway in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. It consists of four linked stations on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line, the BMT Nassau Street Line, the IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line, and the IND Eighth Avenue Line...
is one block away. There is street-level connection to the following services:
- The trains at the Fulton Street station on the IRT Lexington Avenue LineIRT Lexington Avenue LineThe Lexington Avenue Line is one of the lines of the IRT division of the New York City Subway, stretching from Downtown Brooklyn or Lower Manhattan north to 125th Street in East Harlem. The portion in Lower and Midtown Manhattan was part of the first subway line in New York...
- The trains at the Fulton Street station on the BMT Nassau Street LineBMT Nassau Street LineThe BMT Nassau Street Line is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway system in Manhattan. It is served by the and trains which are colored brown on maps and signage...
Background
The temporary PATH station will be replaced with a permanent World Trade Center Transportation Hub, which is being built by the Port Authority of New York and New JerseyPort Authority of New York and New Jersey
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state port district, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the Port of New York and New Jersey...
at an estimated cost of $3.44 billion.
A large transit station was not part of the 2003 Memory Foundations
Memory Foundations
Memory Foundations is the name given by Daniel Libeskind to his site plan for the World Trade Center, which was selected by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation to be the master plan for rebuilding at the World Trade Center site in New York City....
master plan for the site by Daniel Libeskind
Daniel Libeskind
Daniel Libeskind, is an American architect, artist, and set designer of Polish-Jewish descent. Libeskind founded Studio Daniel Libeskind in 1989 with his wife, Nina, and is its principal design architect...
, which called for a smaller station along the lines of the original subterranean station that existed beneath the World Trade Center. Libeskind's design called for the space to be left open, forming a "Wedge of Light" so that sun rays around the autumnal equinox
Equinox
An equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the center of the Sun being in the same plane as the Earth's equator...
would hit the World Trade Center footprints each September.
In early 2004, the Port Authority, which owns the land, modified the Libeskind plan to include a world-class transportation station downtown that was intended to rival Penn Station
Pennsylvania Station (New York City)
Pennsylvania Station—commonly known as Penn Station—is the major intercity train station and a major commuter rail hub in New York City. It is one of the busiest rail stations in the world, and a hub for inbound and outbound railroad traffic in New York City. The New York City Subway system also...
and Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
. In a nod to the Liebeskind concept, the station will be at an angle to maximize the effect of the autumnal equinox rays.
Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the City of New York...
has never had an ambitious transit or railroad center, as the former complex at the World Trade Center was built beneath the buildings. The station is designed to connect the PATH to the New York City Subway system. An underground passageway east, along Dey Street
Dey Street Passageway
The Dey Street Passageway or Dey Street Concourse is a tunnel being constructed in Manhattan as part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Capital Construction Program to rehabilitate the Fulton Street station and the connection to other stations nearby. The Dey Street Passageway will be...
, is being constructed as part of the Fulton Street Transit Center
Fulton Street Transit Center
The Fulton Street Transit Center is a $1.4 billion project under construction of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , a public agency of the state of New York...
project, which will link the new station with the subway's services. There will also be a passageway west to the World Financial Center
World Financial Center
The World Financial Center is a complex of buildings across West Street from the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan in New York City, overlooking the Hudson River. This complex is home to offices of companies including Merrill Lynch, RBC Capital Markets, Nomura Group, the Wall Street...
and the Battery Park City Ferry Terminal
Battery Park City Ferry Terminal
The Battery Park City Ferry Terminal provides slips to ferries, water taxis, and sightseeing boats in the Port of New York and New Jersey. The floating dock is located on the Hudson River and moored at the foot of Vesey Street in Hudson River Park in Battery Park City, Manhattan...
. A proposal for a connection to the Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
and John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
via a new tunnel under the East River
East River
The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
, the Lower Manhattan-Jamaica/JFK Transportation Project
Lower Manhattan-Jamaica/JFK Transportation Project
The Lower Manhattan – Jamaica/JFK Transportation Project is a proposed public-works project in New York City, New York, that would use the Long Island Rail Road Atlantic Branch and a new tunnel under the East River to connect a new train station at the World Trade Center Transportation Hub site...
, is currently in the alternatives analysis stage.
Design
Spanish Architect Santiago CalatravaSantiago Calatrava
Santiago Calatrava Valls is a Spanish architect, sculptor and structural engineer whose principal office is in Zürich, Switzerland. Classed now among the elite designers of the world, he has offices in Zürich, Paris, Valencia, and New York City....
, designer of the station, said it resembles a bird being released from a child's hand. The roof was originally designed to mechanically open to increase light and ventilation to the enclosed space. Herbert Muschamp
Herbert Muschamp
Herbert Mitchell Muschamp was an American architecture critic.- Early years :Born in Philadelphia, Muschamp described his childhood home life as follows: “The living room was a secret. A forbidden zone. The new slipcovers were not, in fact, the reason why sitting down there was taboo. That was...
, architecture critic of The New York Times, wrote:
Another critic wrote:
However, Calatrava's original soaring spike design has been scaled back because of security issues. The Times observed:
The design was further modified to eliminate the opening and closing roof mechanism because of budget and space constraints.
The station has also stirred problems with developer Larry Silverstein
Larry Silverstein
Larry A. Silverstein is an American businessman, and real estate investor and developer in New York City.Silverstein was born in Brooklyn, and became involved in real estate, together with his father, establishing Silverstein Properties...
, who owns the lease for the World Trade Center site, since it took away available space for his proposed buildings.
Construction
Construction of the station called for relocation of the landmark World Trade Center crossWorld Trade Center cross
The World Trade Center cross, also known as the Ground Zero cross, is a group of steel beams found amidst the debris of the World Trade Center following the September 11, 2001 attacks which resembles the proportions of a Christian cross.-Background:...
in 2006. The permanent station is scheduled to be completed in 2013.
On July 8, 2008, the first prefabricated "ribs" for the pedestrian walkway under Fulton Street were installed on the site. The mezzanine level of the station is undergoing major construction and work on the foundation is still underway.
As of March 1, 2011, over 225 of the 300 steel pieces which make up the roof of the station have been installed. Later that month installation of the Vierendeel Truss, one of the hub's key components, began with the installation of a 50-ton section of the truss. When fully installed the combined weight of the truss will weigh 271 tons. The truss will serve as the mezzanine roof and also act as a support for the northeast corner of the WTC Memorial.
As of October 9, 2011, work progresses rapidly on the new transit center as it moves its way towards the completion date.
See also
- Port Authority Trans-HudsonPort Authority Trans-HudsonPATH, derived from Port Authority Trans-Hudson, is a rapid transit railroad linking Manhattan, New York City with Newark, Harrison, Hoboken and Jersey City in metropolitan northern New Jersey...
- World Trade CenterWorld Trade CenterThe original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
- World Trade Center siteWorld Trade Center siteThe World Trade Center site , also known as "Ground Zero" after the September 11 attacks, sits on in Lower Manhattan in New York City...
- Fulton Street Transit CenterFulton Street Transit CenterThe Fulton Street Transit Center is a $1.4 billion project under construction of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , a public agency of the state of New York...
External links
- PATH - Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
- Fulton Street Transit Center
- nycsubway.org