Gov. David Paterson officiated at the grand opening, which wasalso attended by senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand,members of New York's Congressional delegation and officials of theMetropolitan Transportation Authority. In a statement, Patersonsays the station represents "not only our joint city, state andfederal commitment to rebuilding Lower Manhattan, but also ourcommitment to mass transit in New York State. This station is vitalto the residents, commuters and tourists who pass through it eachday, by allowing for increased subway service, better connectionsand spurring economic growth in Lower Manhattan."

Since the existing structure, across the street from the StatenIsland Ferry, was built in 1905, it has had only one exit and couldonly accommodate the first five cars of each subway train, forcingriders in the rear to walk forward in order to exit. Multipleexits, seven escalators and two Americans with DisabilitiesAct-compliant elevators are all part of what the renovatedfacility, built primarily with $420 million in federal money,offers. The escalators have an on-demand feature, a first for thecity's subway system and one of several green features in thestation overhaul. Additionally, the renovations expanded theplatform to accommodate 10-car trains.

In a statement, Elliot Sander, MTA's executive director and CEO,points out, "This is the first new subway station to open in NewYork City in nearly 20 years, and it is a major milestone in therebuilding of Lower Manhattan, as it is the first major publictransportation project to open Downtown since 9/11." The MTA lastopened a brand new subway station in 1989 with the 63rd &Lexington/Roosevelt Island/21st St.-Queensbridge Stations on the Fline.