WTC Cortlandt station

Interborough Rapid Transit Company
Company type	Private company
Industry	Public transportation
Founded	1902
Defunct	1940
Fate	Taken over by city government
Headquarters	New York City, United States
Products	Subway services

The WTC Cortlandt station—displayed as World Trade Center on signage and historically referred to as Cortlandt Street or Cortlandt Street–World Trade Center—is situated on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line of the New York City Subway within Manhattan's Financial District. Positioned beneath Greenwich and Cortlandt Streets inside the World Trade Center complex, this station is continuously served by the 1 train.

Constructed initially by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) and inaugurated in 1918 as part of the Dual Contracts expansion, the station underwent renovations during the 1960s concurrent with the development of the original World Trade Center. The street above was removed to make way for the complex's construction. Although service on the Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line resumed nearby in September 2002 following destruction in the September 11 attacks, full reconstruction of this station was postponed until after the completion of the underlying PATH World Trade Center station. After comprehensive rebuilding efforts, it reopened on September 8, 2018, under the name WTC Cortlandt.

Passengers can transfer to PATH trains at the World Trade Center and access an out-of-system connection to the Chambers Street–World Trade Center/Park Place/Cortlandt Street and Fulton Street subway stations through the World Trade Center Transportation Hub.

Early history

The Dual Contracts, finalized on March 19, 1913, were agreements designed to facilitate the construction and operation of rapid transit lines throughout New York City. These "dual" contracts involved collaboration between the city and two private operators—the Interborough Rapid Transit Company and the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company—which enabled significant subway expansion, particularly in Brooklyn. Under Contract 3, the IRT committed to extending a branch southward along Seventh Avenue, Varick Street, and West Broadway to enhance service on Manhattan’s West Side.

This development, alongside work on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line, reconfigured the IRT system from its original "Z" shape into an "H" layout. It featured two main trunk lines connected by the 42nd Street Shuttle: one running via Lexington Avenue along Park Avenue, and another traveling down Seventh Avenue and up Broadway. To accommodate this extension along Varick Street and West Broadway, these thoroughfares were widened, and two new streets—the Seventh Avenue Extension and Varick Street Extension—were constructed. This expansion aimed to promote growth in Lower West Side neighborhoods such as Chelsea and Greenwich Village.

During excavation beneath Dey Street for station construction, workers discovered a colonial-era ship hull. The Cortlandt Street station officially opened on July 1, 1918, as part of the line extension from 34th Street–Penn Station to South Ferry. Initially, service operated as a shuttle between Times Square and South Ferry. The complete "H" system became operational on August 1, 1918, linking both segments of the Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line and routing all West Side trains southward from Times Square. This change effectively doubled IRT capacity but required passengers to transfer via the 42nd Street Shuttle to navigate what had been the original configuration.

Situated at Cortlandt and Greenwich Streets within Lower Manhattan’s "Radio Row," an area renowned for electronics retailers, this station featured a conventional two-track layout with side platforms. The platform walls were adorned with mosaics depicting ships—attributed to either Squire J. Vickers or Herbert Dole—and red-painted I-beam columns were regularly spaced along both platforms.

20th century

On June 12, 1940, control of the IRT's operations was transferred to the city government. Subsequently, on August 9, 1964, the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) awarded a $7.6 million contract aimed at extending platforms at stations between Rector Street and 34th Street–Penn Station, as well as from Central Park North–110th Street to 145th Street along the Lenox Avenue Line. This enhancement enabled express trains to increase their length from nine to ten cars and local trains from eight to ten cars, marking the completion of the NYCTA’s platform extension initiative. The modifications took place during 1965 and 1966, during which time the original tiling and mosaics were replaced with varnished brick tiles characteristic of the 1970s; one mosaic was preserved and is now displayed at the New York Transit Museum.

In 1965, the segment of Cortlandt Street west of Church Street was demolished to form the World Trade Center superblock. This resulted in the station, which had entrances at Vesey Street and within the World Trade Center concourse, becoming disconnected from the remaining portion of Cortlandt Street. Following the completion of the World Trade Center complex, platform columns were updated with alternating black station name signs displaying "Cortlandt Street" and "World Trade Center."

During the 1980s, as subway service levels diminished, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority introduced the system’s inaugural train-frequency schedules at Cortlandt Street, replacing older timetable formats.

After the February 26, 1993 bombing at the World Trade Center, trains ceased stopping at this station; however, service resumed up to Chambers Street shortly thereafter. By 2001, just before the events of September 11, Cortlandt Street station accommodated an average daily ridership of 19,446.

September 11, 2001, attacks

The station and adjacent subway tunnels sustained extensive damage during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, following the collapse of Two World Trade Center. This devastation led to the closure of the line south of Chambers Street. A train operator reported an “explosion” to the MTA’s Subway Control Center within one minute after American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower at 8:46 a.m. Subway operations were promptly suspended thereafter, preventing any casualties within the subway system. The station’s steel I-beams were bent and its roof caved in due to its location underground but near street level. Originally, the tunnel measured wide and high with columns spaced every .

Following these events, two approaches were evaluated: either repairing the existing tunnel or rerouting it westward north of the World Trade Center site toward a new South Ferry terminal. The decision favored repairing the original line. To expedite restoration of service to Rector Street and South Ferry stations, workers demolished what remained of Cortlandt Street station and constructed walls where platforms had been located. Approximately of tunnels and tracks—including about destroyed near Ground Zero—were reconstructed. Initially, only Rector and South Ferry stations reopened while Cortlandt Street was planned for permanent closure.

Ultimately, due to its critical location within Lower Manhattan’s transit network, Cortlandt Street station was rebuilt as part of the broader World Trade Center redevelopment project. The East Bathtub foundation was extended beneath the line toward Church Street. Then-Governor George Pataki highlighted this project’s importance for over a million daily commuters and for revitalizing Lower Manhattan. Despite recommendations to close this segment during construction of the new World Trade Center Transportation Hub, Pataki insisted on keeping it operational—resulting in increased costs due to necessary underpinning work. The rebuilt tunnel was widened to accommodate future station reconstruction; otherwise, it conformed to original dimensions with columns spaced every . The subway line reopened on September 15, 2002; however, trains continued bypassing Cortlandt Street station.

The northern entrance at Vesey Street was situated beneath a staircase leading up to Austin J. Tobin Plaza. After the attacks, this "Survivors' Staircase" remained intact and was eventually relocated into the National September 11 Museum in July 2008.

PANYNJ cleanup

In 2007, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) anticipated that the Cortlandt Street station would be operational again by 2009. By October 2008, an agreement was reached between PANYNJ and the MTA for the MTA to finance the station’s rebuilding as part of the Port Authority’s World Trade Center Transportation Hub project, aiming to coordinate construction efforts more efficiently. PANYNJ targeted completion of underpinning and excavation work by mid-2010, with initial station construction set to begin in the third quarter of that year. Excavation was nearly complete by mid-2010, with finishing touches planned for early 2011 and work on mezzanine and platforms commencing in September 2011.

To ensure worker safety during construction, tracks were enclosed behind protective walls. Between 2008 and 2011, trains operated through a covered passageway adjacent to the site due to extensive excavation activities. Following backfilling, Cortlandt Street was reconstructed as a main thoroughfare through the World Trade Center complex, restoring the station’s original street connection.

Funding disagreements between PANYNJ and MTA postponed the station’s reopening from an initial 2014 target to 2018. In 2013, PANYNJ awarded a $19 million contract for demolishing the original station structure. Reconstruction proceeded into late 2013, and by February 2015, both agencies finalized an agreement to complete the project. To accommodate construction tasks such as installing finishes, tiles, and lighting, sections of the Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line south of Chambers Street were periodically closed from May 2015 through 2018.

MTA rebuild

In 2015, responsibility for rebuilding Cortlandt Street station was transferred to the MTA. By January 2017, an independent engineer cautioned that reopening might be delayed due to conflicts with contractor Judlau Contracting. The MTA was expending $800,000 monthly but estimated it would require four times that amount to meet the August 2018 deadline. Full access was granted to the MTA by the Port Authority in June 2017 after removal of a temporary PATH entrance and completion of foundation work. Renovations included installation of ADA-compliant entrances with elevators, track intrusion detection systems, fire alarms, Help Points, CCTV cameras, countdown clocks, and air conditioning units. Additionally, a $1 million marble mural created by Ann Hamilton was incorporated into the design.

By September 2017, installation of communications infrastructure, electrical power systems, and ventilation equipment was underway; however, contractor setbacks and utility relocations delayed substantial completion until December 2018. By April 2018, reopening was projected for October. By June of that year, wiring had been finalized while finishing work, turnstiles, elevators, and escalators were being installed. Station signage bearing "World Trade Center" appeared in August 2018. The total reconstruction cost reached $181 million, surpassing earlier estimates of $158 million and $101 million respectively. During closure, over one million trains passed through without stopping.

Reports on September 7, 2018 confirmed that the station would reopen on September 8 in time for the seventeenth anniversary of the attacks. The reopening ceremony marked the station’s return under its new name "WTC Cortlandt," reflecting its location beneath the World Trade Center while honoring its historic identity. As of September 2018, remaining tasks included northbound platform artwork installation, ceiling replacements, floodproofing measures, and final station completion with substantial completion aimed for December 2018. By July 2019, reconstruction progress reached approximately 95%, though some work persisted.

Station layout

The reconstructed station is situated beneath Greenwich Street, occupying its original location. The 1 train stops here continuously, with Chambers Street located to the north and Rector Street to the south.

Preserving the original configuration of two tracks flanked by side platforms, the station lies roughly below street level. Structural columns divide the tracks except near the northern section above the World Trade Center Transportation Hub. A crossunder passageway links the platforms just north of this hub. The platforms are supported by gray I-beam columns labeled "WTC Cortlandt," while wall-mounted signs display "World Trade Center." Additionally, the station is equipped with an air conditioning system.

Installed in 2018, the artwork CHORUS by Ann Hamilton represents a $1 million woven installation incorporating excerpts from key documents such as the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and the United States Declaration of Independence.

Note: The schematic includes several lines; transferring to or from WTC Cortlandt’s 1 service involves an extra fare.

Exits

This station offers direct connections to both the Chambers Street–World Trade Center/Park Place/Cortlandt Street complex and the World Trade Center PATH within the World Trade Center Transportation Hub. Located just west of the hub’s main entrance—the "Oculus"—it provides four access points from inside the hub. Two mezzanine levels beneath the tracks facilitate PATH access: the northern mezzanine serves both platforms, while the southern mezzanine connects exclusively to the southbound platform. Additional entrances lead to the uptown platform from both the Oculus balcony and the South Concourse, which links to 3 World Trade Center. An out-of-system transfer to Fulton Center is accessible through the WTC Hub.

On the southbound side, there are two street-level exits: an elevator and staircase at Vesey Street on the northern end, and stair access to Cortlandt Way at the southern end. ADA compliance is achieved via the Vesey Street elevator alongside existing elevators connecting passengers to the WTC Hub. Elevators also provide vertical circulation between each platform and the crossunder passage.

Prior to September 11, 2001, full-time entry was available at Vesey Street and West Broadway through a bank of turnstiles including one full-height turnstile. A token booth remained in place until demolition began in 2007. The World Trade Center Concourse entrance featured full-height turnstiles centrally located on each platform and operated on weekdays from 6:40 a.m. until 10 p.m. The southern section of the station included an exit leading to Liberty Street via Four World Trade Center.

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