Renovation and Expansion
The World Financial Center is currently undergoing a $250 million renovation and expansion project in conjunction with the construction of a new east-west passageway linking the complex with the World Trade Center site. The main elements of the project include a transit pavilion to be built as an extension of the existing Winter Garden building, on the West Street end. Preliminary plans had called for the demolition of the Grand Staircase, which until 2001 was the main focal entry point to the Winter Garden and the waterfront, as it connected to the Vesey Street pedestrian bridge adjacent to the original World Trade Center. The Grand Staircase has also been used as an amphitheater; thus, the plans for demolition had outraged residents, who promptly appealed for its preservation in the latest redevelopment plans. The transit pavilion is slated to open in fall 2013 and is expected to have an address at 220 Vesey Street, despite being situated on West Street proper.
Within the existing complex, available space in the lower floors of the office towers of the World Financial Center are undergoing conversions and expansion to accommodate new retail. One notable example is 2 World Financial Center: a European-style marketplace and a dining terrace are expected to open in Fall 2013. The space between 3 and 4 WFC, at 100 West Street, which currently contains retail, will be expanded to accommodate in‑line retail and high end fashion retail, according to the plans and renderings.
With some restaurants and retail temporarily closed due to construction, a new food truck court has been in operation since early 2012 on North End Avenue. Various food trucks that operate around New York City, serving a variety of foods, service the World Financial Center/Battery Park City area five days a week during lunch hours.
Overall, the intent is to drive more tourism in the area with the retail and the new access to the passageway under West Street. It is also being developed as a catalyst to integrate and drive development in the Battery Park City area, of which the World Financial Center sits promptly in between the largely residential neighborhood.
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—Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)
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