After almost two decades out of action, a New York City subway station destroyed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks has reopened.
Situated in the shadow of the World Trade Center, Cortlandt Street was completely buried under the rubble when the Twin Towers were hit in 2001. Parts of the building were said to have torn through the terminal – pictures taken after the attack show the station buried under debris and its metal beams nearly bent in two.
“The opening of WTC Cortlandt returns a subway station to a vibrant neighborhood and represents a major milestone in the recovery and growth of downtown Manhattan,” MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota said. “WTC Cortlandt is more than a new subway station. It is symbolic of New Yorkers’ resolve in restoring and substantially improving the entire World Trade Center site.”
The station connects residents along the No. 1 line on Manhattan’s west side to the World Trade Center.
It cost $181 million to rebuild the station, according to The Associated Press. The new stop includes an air-tempered ventilation system, elevator access from the street and a white marble mosaic by artist Ann Hamilton featuring text from the Declaration of Independence and the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Explaining her work to the New York Post, Hamilton said: “I think when we see things that are beautiful, maybe our hearts fall open a little bit, and we are a little more generous.”
The new station also has fewer columns, which allows for more space on both platforms — a move intended to ease navigation for customers with wheel chairs.