Directly beneath the skylight, called an "oculus," a spiral staircase curves around the steel supports for a yet-to-be-installed elevator. The elevator will be made of glass, as will the staircase's railing. For the MTA staff who have been planning and building the Fulton Street station for more than seven years, the recent progress is thrilling.
The project was nearly derailed three years ago when the MTA ran out of money to complete the station, but the federal government came through with more than $400 million in stimulus funds in 2009, allowing the hub to be built.
Since then, the project has faced many challenges, including propping up the sagging Corbin Building, a historic landmark that was so unstable it sometimes shifted noticeably overnight. The MTA also had to be extremely careful while excavating and driving piles, because much of the project sits below the water table.
When the station at the corner of Fulton Street and Broadway finally opens in the summer of 2014, the MTA envisions it as more than just a hub for commuters to rush between 10 connecting train lines.
The station and the Corbin Building, which the MTA is restoring, will contain 70,000 square feet of retail space, including a bar and restaurant overlooking Broadway, St. Paul's Chapel and the rising World Trade Center towers. The MTA plans to issue a request for proposals this spring to find an operator for all of the retail space.
Natural sunlight will flood the transit center during the day, thanks to the tall glass-and-steel skylight that is already in place, and at night, tiny lights projected onto the glass dome will create the illusion of a starry sky.
Enjoy the slideshow below!
While the main station building won't open for another 2½ years, the MTA has already begun rolling out new entrances and amenities as they are complete. This year, the southbound N and R platform at Cortlandt Street reopened after years of construction, and the MTA also opened a new entrance at 135 William St.
People will start to get the sense that they're walking toward something spectacular.