New World Trade Center Transportation Hub

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Downtown Manhattan got a new architectural landmark on Thursday.  

Was it worth it? Well, that's a more complicated story. Architect Santiago Calatrava’s World Trade Center Transportation Hub opened with an afternoon ceremony to a trickle of commuters and a flood of controversy. (“Functionally vapid," a “boondoggle” that “wows rather than elevates” have been some of the harsher critiques.) The distinctive structure with wing-like ribs connects the PATH commuter trains from New Jersey to the New York subway system, as well as the trans-Hudson ferries. Total price tag: $4 billion.



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[mossie]

Our TV showed this architectural extravaganza yesterday. Looking at the little video it looks as though it is an exercise yard, poor fellow seemed to be walking forever and getting nowhere, and your newspapers eem extremely unimpressed.

However it does have a certain elegance when viewed as a whole, but the money simply takes ones breath away.

[Deleted]

Just about anything would have been better than the claustrophobic old station.

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[tod2]

It's very impressive to me. I like white - I like minimalistic - I love wide open spaces - I think its great but how long will it stay that way....

[bjd]

I remember getting lost in the old WTC subway station -- I just couldn't find an entrance, they all seemed to be exits, so I finally went in one and got on the subway.

That's a hell of a lot of money for a transportation hub. It might explain why the USA doesn't like to invest in public transport.

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S works nearby and took this photo today. She's going to try to get some interior photos soon.

[nycgirl]

It's nice, huh? Looks like a spiny sea creature. It's got a really pretty oculus inside. My husband's firm worked on it, they won a bunch of awards.

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Wow! I had no idea. That's very cool, Nycgirl!