JadedJC wrote:
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hero69 wrote:
there was what some might call a mall before 9/11 at the wtc, but i would call it just a collection of stores. in any event, imo, the bathrooms before 9/11 were more PATH-centric and regualrly policed by PA cops, frequented by hobos and cleaned by PA hired staff. the new bathrooms are more mall-centric - no place for the homeless to wash up.

In the '80s through early '90s, I recall there was a pretty depressing collection of dumpy stores just one level below street level. By the late '90s, though, they had gone noticeably upscale with more suburban shopping mall-type stores. I remember there was a Crabtree & Evelyn, Borders, Nine West and maybe Banana Republic. The PATH restrooms were located on the level between the train platform and the shops, adjacent to the saddest looking bar in the world with the saddest looking patrons. I used the restrooms on numerous occasions pre-9/11 and they were pretty clean. The odd thing was I never once saw a homeless person in there. The bar - I think it was called Commuter Bar (or something with an equal lack of imagination) - never seemed to have more than two or three patrons in there. Those who needed a stiff drink to face that PATH ride home, I suppose.

HappyInHarsimus wrote:
Used the passageway to catch the 4 uptown on Saturday. Since this transit hub is now a touristy place, it was ridiculous navigating the crowds of shoppers, gawker etc. The worst was the people just sitting on the stairs, oblivious to the fact that it's a passageway to the subway.

HappyInHarsimus wrote:
Used the passageway to catch the 4 uptown on Saturday. Since this transit hub is now a touristy place, it was ridiculous navigating the crowds of shoppers, gawker etc. The worst was the people just sitting on the stairs, oblivious to the fact that it's a passageway to the subway.

hero69 wrote:
there was what some might call a mall before 9/11 at the wtc, but i would call it just a collection of stores. in any event, imo, the bathrooms before 9/11 were more PATH-centric and regualrly policed by PA cops, frequented by hobos and cleaned by PA hired staff. the new bathrooms are more mall-centric - no place for the homeless to wash up.

JCMan8 wrote:
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WhoElseCouldIBe wrote:
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bodhipooh wrote:


[not doubting your claim, just really curious as to the answer]

Is this really such a stumper? Guy has girl friend who uses female bathroom. Guy asks girl friend how many stalls in the bathroom.

Apparently it was a stumper, because that guy didn't say anything intelligible in response to the question. You speculated something that is plausible, but was never articulated.

WhoElseCouldIBe wrote:
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bodhipooh wrote:


[not doubting your claim, just really curious as to the answer]

Is this really such a stumper? Guy has girl friend who uses female bathroom. Guy asks girl friend how many stalls in the bathroom.

hero69 wrote:
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Dolomiti wrote:
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hero69 wrote:
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Dolomiti wrote:
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jackp wrote:
Agreed on bathroom, just another example of how this facility was designed with no consideration for the needs of the commuter.

Errrrrwha?

How many commuter train stations have bathrooms in the first place?

The bathrooms are there because of the mall, not the commuters.

WRONG! there were bathrooms next to the PATH train entrance before 9/11.

Wasn't there a mall there, too...?




Quote:

it is not uncommon for there to be bathrooms at the terminus for rail lines....you will find that many end points for nyc subway have bathrooms....

No, what happened was that many stations (about 150 out of 450) had bathrooms. It wasn't based on whether or not they were a terminus, e.g. there's a bunch on the Brooklyn lines, nowhere near the terminus. About 2/3 of these, by the way, are now closed or repurposed.

there was what some might call a mall before 9/11 at the wtc, but i would call it just a collection of stores. in any event, imo, the bathrooms before 9/11 were more PATH-centric and regualrly policed by PA cops, frequented by hobos and cleaned by PA hired staff. the new bathrooms are more mall-centric - no place for the homeless to wash up.

Dolomiti wrote:
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hero69 wrote:
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Dolomiti wrote:
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jackp wrote:
Agreed on bathroom, just another example of how this facility was designed with no consideration for the needs of the commuter.

Errrrrwha?

How many commuter train stations have bathrooms in the first place?

The bathrooms are there because of the mall, not the commuters.

WRONG! there were bathrooms next to the PATH train entrance before 9/11.

Wasn't there a mall there, too...?




Quote:

it is not uncommon for there to be bathrooms at the terminus for rail lines....you will find that many end points for nyc subway have bathrooms....

No, what happened was that many stations (about 150 out of 450) had bathrooms. It wasn't based on whether or not they were a terminus, e.g. there's a bunch on the Brooklyn lines, nowhere near the terminus. About 2/3 of these, by the way, are now closed or repurposed.

hero69 wrote:
Quote:

Dolomiti wrote:
Quote:

jackp wrote:
Agreed on bathroom, just another example of how this facility was designed with no consideration for the needs of the commuter.

Errrrrwha?

How many commuter train stations have bathrooms in the first place?

The bathrooms are there because of the mall, not the commuters.

WRONG! there were bathrooms next to the PATH train entrance before 9/11.

it is not uncommon for there to be bathrooms at the terminus for rail lines....you will find that many end points for nyc subway have bathrooms....

Dolomiti wrote:
Quote:

jackp wrote:
Agreed on bathroom, just another example of how this facility was designed with no consideration for the needs of the commuter.

Errrrrwha?

How many commuter train stations have bathrooms in the first place?

The bathrooms are there because of the mall, not the commuters.

jackp wrote:
Agreed on bathroom, just another example of how this facility was designed with no consideration for the needs of the commuter.

bodhipooh wrote:


[not doubting your claim, just really curious as to the answer]

bodhipooh wrote:
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hero69 wrote:
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asny10011 wrote:
Where are the bathrooms?



quote]
corybraiterman wrote:
one really good thing about this, the nicest public bathroom i've ever been in. honestly, it looked like a bathroom one would find in a nice restaurant

near the 2nd level, around corner from apple store......
they really need to double, triple # of stalls for women. a 1:1 ratio does not make sense since women take so much longer than men

hero69 wrote:
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asny10011 wrote:
Where are the bathrooms?



quote]
corybraiterman wrote:
one really good thing about this, the nicest public bathroom i've ever been in. honestly, it looked like a bathroom one would find in a nice restaurant

asny10011 wrote:
Where are the bathrooms?



quote]
corybraiterman wrote:
one really good thing about this, the nicest public bathroom i've ever been in. honestly, it looked like a bathroom one would find in a nice restaurant

asny10011 wrote:
Where are the bathrooms?

quote]
corybraiterman wrote:
one really good thing about this, the nicest public bathroom i've ever been in. honestly, it looked like a bathroom one would find in a nice restaurant

brewster wrote:
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jackp wrote:
Apologies in advance for ranting about this monumental waste. Heres specifically what troubles me about it besides the fact that the extra 2-3B spent here that could have improved our NJ stations (or extended PATH to EWR).

Here goes:
1. White marble? Already it is stained where seepage is coming up from the subbase and turning the edges yellow. Marble is soft, easily stained and is a terrible choice for a heavily trafficed area. Lets see how it does this winter with salt and water...
2. Sheet Rock walls in the train waiting area? Who could have possibly thought that would work? Did these people ever visit a real train station to see why they use concrete and tile?
3. Exit to Vesey St. Please correct me if this is temporary, but it makes no sense to take an escalator to one level, then walk up stairs, then take another escalator to the exit. Who planned that?
4. I have experienced a slight sense of vertigo walking up the rounded white stairs with no railings. Is it just me?
5. White ceilings above the trains with no way to clean. Look at the black ceilings in the rest of the stations. Who would think white ceilings in a train tunnel was a good idea?
6. useless retail stores that cater to the 1%.
7. What the place going to look like when half the cleaning crew gets cut back due to "funding shortfalls"?

Normally you would think a group of local engineers and maintenance people would have reviewed the design and made practical suggestions based on experience. perhaps they did and nobody listened.

In the end it looks like the needs of frequent commuters were not at all considered in this design. What a tragedy.

PS--Does anybody know if and when a "direct" tie between Chambers/E Train and WTC Path will happen?

You forgot the narrow platforms and escalators. What a waste.

jackp wrote:
Apologies in advance for ranting about this monumental waste. Heres specifically what troubles me about it besides the fact that the extra 2-3B spent here that could have improved our NJ stations (or extended PATH to EWR).

Here goes:
1. White marble? Already it is stained where seepage is coming up from the subbase and turning the edges yellow. Marble is soft, easily stained and is a terrible choice for a heavily trafficed area. Lets see how it does this winter with salt and water...
2. Sheet Rock walls in the train waiting area? Who could have possibly thought that would work? Did these people ever visit a real train station to see why they use concrete and tile?
3. Exit to Vesey St. Please correct me if this is temporary, but it makes no sense to take an escalator to one level, then walk up stairs, then take another escalator to the exit. Who planned that?
4. I have experienced a slight sense of vertigo walking up the rounded white stairs with no railings. Is it just me?
5. White ceilings above the trains with no way to clean. Look at the black ceilings in the rest of the stations. Who would think white ceilings in a train tunnel was a good idea?
6. useless retail stores that cater to the 1%.
7. What the place going to look like when half the cleaning crew gets cut back due to "funding shortfalls"?

Normally you would think a group of local engineers and maintenance people would have reviewed the design and made practical suggestions based on experience. perhaps they did and nobody listened.

In the end it looks like the needs of frequent commuters were not at all considered in this design. What a tragedy.

PS--Does anybody know if and when a "direct" tie between Chambers/E Train and WTC Path will happen?

JCishome wrote:
Horrible. Garish. Tawdry.

I'm running short on adjectives to describe this monstrosity, but I'm most infuriated by the huge (120 foot?) advertising screen in the tunnel to Brookfield Place. The PA is clearly selling every inch of the place. What's next, the Yahoo 9/11 Museum, brought to you by Footlocker?