# Boondoggle or architectural icon?

**Published by:** [Brandon Donnelly](https://brandondonnelly.com/)
**Published on:** 2016-03-04
**Categories:** architect-this-city, architecture, atc, athiscity, cities, new-york, santiago-calatrava, transit, transport, transportation-hub, uncategorized, urbanism, world-trade-center
**URL:** https://brandondonnelly.com/boondoggle-or-architectural-icon

## Content

Today, the new World Trade Center Transportation Hub, designed by architect Santiago Calatrava, opened up – at least partially - in New York City. Given that it was originally supposed to open in 2009 and cost about half as much (original budget was $2.2 billion), the critics haven’t been kind. Here are a few snippets from Michael Kimmelman’s writeup in the New York Times, called, Santiago Calatrava’s Transit Hub Is a Soaring Symbol of a Boondoggle: …at first blush, Mr. Calatrava’s architecture can almost — almost — make you forget what an epic boondoggle the whole thing has been. That virgin view, standing inside the Oculus and gazing up, is a jaw-dropper. The project’s cost soared toward a head-slapping, unconscionable $4 billion in public money for what, in effect, is the 18th-busiest subway stop in New York City, tucked inside a shopping mall, down the block from another shopping center. And it’s not really a hub. A maze of underground passages connects the site to far-flung subway lines, but there are not free transfers. The place is a glorified PATH station for some 50,000 weekday riders commuting to and from New Jersey. I haven’t been following this project, so I can’t really comment on the delays and cost overruns. But I sure wish that main hall (called the Oculus and pictured above) was a part of my regular travel routine. Image via Curbed

## Publication Information

- [Brandon Donnelly](https://brandondonnelly.com/): Publication homepage
- [All Posts](https://brandondonnelly.com/): More posts from this publication
- [RSS Feed](https://api.paragraph.com/blogs/rss/@brandondonnelly): Subscribe to updates
- [Twitter](https://twitter.com/donnelly_b): Follow on Twitter

## Optional

- [Collect as NFT](https://brandondonnelly.com/boondoggle-or-architectural-icon): Support the author by collecting this post
- [View Collectors](https://brandondonnelly.com/boondoggle-or-architectural-icon/collectors): See who has collected this post