WTC Cortlandt: Rebirth and Connection at the World Trade Center

The WTC Cortlandt station is a subway station located in the World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan, New York. It serves the Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line of the subway and is a symbol of reconstruction and resilience after the September 11, 2001 attacks, which destroyed the original Cortlandt Street station. Its location within the renovated World Trade Center makes it a vital access point for workers, residents, and visitors to the area.

Connections and Services

The WTC Cortlandt station directly serves one line, but it is integrated with the World Trade Center Transportation Hub (Oculus), offering extensive connections:

WTC Cortlandt (Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line)

• This station is part of the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line of the New York City Subway.
• It is served by trains of the service:
  • 1 (red)
• Main address: Beneath Greenwich Street, within the World Trade Center complex, New York, NY 10007. Accessible from the Oculus and at street level.

Connection with the World Trade Center Transportation Hub (Oculus)

• The WTC Cortlandt station offers a direct internal connection to the Oculus.
• Through the Oculus, passengers can transfer to:
  • PATH trains to New Jersey.
  • Other subway lines: 2, 3, 4, 5, A, C, E, R, W.
• Entrances to the Hub are located within the Oculus building itself and connected to various points in the WTC complex.

The integration with the Oculus allows passengers to make convenient and weather-protected transfers between the 1 line and multiple subway and PATH services.

Importance and Location

• The station is located beneath Greenwich Street, in the heart of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan.
• Its strategic location makes it a key access point to important destinations such as:

  • World Trade Center Complex

    • National September 11 Memorial & Museum: Memorial space and museum dedicated to the events of 9/11.
    • One World Observatory: Observation deck at the top of One World Trade Center.
    • Oculus: Transportation hub and shopping center with distinctive architecture.
    • Liberty Park.

  • Financial District and Surroundings

    • Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
    • St. Paul’s Chapel: Historic chapel that survived 9/11 and served as a support center.
    • Battery Park City: Residential and commercial area along the Hudson River.
    • Brookfield Place: Commercial and office complex with luxury shops and restaurants.

  • Other Nearby Points of Interest

    • New York City Hall (City Hall).
    • Brooklyn Bridge (accessible on foot).

History and Evolution

• The original Cortlandt Street station on the Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line was inaugurated in 1918.
• It was completely destroyed by the collapse of the World Trade Center towers during the September 11, 2001 attacks.
• After a complex reconstruction process, the station reopened on September 8, 2018, with the new name WTC Cortlandt, featuring a modern, accessible design fully integrated into the new World Trade Center complex.
• The reconstruction included direct integration with the World Trade Center Transportation Hub (Oculus).

Interesting Facts

• The station is a powerful symbol of New York’s recovery after 9/11.
• It houses the artwork “CHORUS” by Ann Hamilton, which incorporates texts from the United States Declaration of Independence and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• Its modern design includes full accessibility features and a bright, open architecture, in contrast to many older stations in the system.
• It offers a vital indoor connection between subway line 1 and the extensive Oculus transportation hub.