Sure, the news was all but confirmed, but today the Port Authority made it official: The transit org announced that the World Trade Center Transportation Hub—anchored by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava's Oculus—will officially open in "the first week of March," per a press release.
In a statement, Port Authority chairman John Degan said, "When the Oculus opens, commuters, visitors and residents of Lower Manhattan will have a greatly enhanced commute to and from the site for the first time." What that actually means for commuters: There will finally be a link between the World Trade Center PATH station and 11 NYC subway lines, along with the East River ferries. The various stations will be linked via underground passageways, which will also connect to the mall beneath the Oculus, which are scheduled to open "in phases" this year, per the Port Authority.
The most expensive train station in history has been a long time coming, and is not without its critics—it's been called "LOL-ugly" and a "magnificent boondoggle," among other choice descriptors. The opening will finally give the public a chance to interact with the space, which Calatrava has likened to a "bird in flight."
· WTC Transportation Hub Oculus To Open In March [Curbed]
· Calatrava's World Trade Center Hub Is a 'Glorious Boondoggle' [Curbed]
· All Santiago Calatrava Coverage [Curbed]
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