George Washington Bridge Bus Station
40°50′56″N 73°56′18″W / 40.84889°N 73.93833°W
George Washington Bridge Bus Station | |
---|---|
181st Street | |
Construction | |
Accessible | Yes |
Architect | Pier Luigi Nervi |
Other information | |
Website | GWBBS |
History | |
Opened | January 17, 1963 |
Rebuilt | 2013–2017 renovations |
Passengers | |
2015 | 6.9 million |
The George Washington Bridge Bus Station is a
The building is an example of mid-century urban renewal and structural expressionism. Designed by the renowned Italian architect-engineer Pier Luigi Nervi, the new bus station was hailed as a robust tour-de-force of infrastructure ingenuity by leading critics of the day.[2] While later noting the station's neglect from decades of deferred maintenance, the architecture critic Ada Louise Huxtable heralded the design of the station as "a work of the first rank that demonstrates the art and science of reinforced concrete construction at its 20th-century highpoint, in the hands of one of its greatest masters."[3]
The terminal was first proposed in 1955, following earlier attempts to construct a bus station at the George Washington Bridge's eastern end. The Port Authority hired Nervi to design the terminal in early 1960, and it opened on January 17, 1963. In its early years, the George Washington Bridge Bus Station was underused compared to the Port Authority Bus Terminal. A major renovation, including an expansion of retail space from 30,000 to 120,000 square feet (3,000 to 11,000 m2), was announced in 2008; the project began in late 2013 and was expected to cost more than US$183 million. The renovated station reopened on May 16, 2017, two years behind schedule, $17 million over budget, and still unfinished.[4][5]
Description
The station is built over the
The building is constructed of huge steel-reinforced concrete trusses, fourteen of which are cantilevered from supports in the median of the Trans-Manhattan Expressway, which it straddles.[7][9] The roof was constructed of 26 triangular sections,[7] each measuring 66 by 92 feet (20 by 28 m) and composed of 36 concrete panels.[10] The design of the roof was intended to disperse exhaust from buses idling there.[7] The building's roof trusses have been described as resembling butterflies, as seen in aerial views.[3][7] When the terminal was constructed in 1963, the Port Authority believed the design of the roof would eliminate the need to install air conditioning.[11]
The building contains murals as well as busts of
History
Development
The George Washington Bridge between New York and New Jersey was opened in 1931; only its current upper deck existed at the time.[14] As early as 1952, the PANYNJ (at the time the Port of New York Authority) had proposed widening a one-block stretch of 178th Street between Fort Washington Avenue and Broadway and creating a bus terminal there. The terminal would have contained three platforms for interstate buses and a connection to the 175th Street subway station. This would have required the demolition of three apartment houses and the building of the Young Men's and Women's Hebrew Association of Washington Heights.[15]
A lower deck for the George Washington Bridge, a new
The Port Authority announced in March 1960 that it had hired Nervi to design a three-story, $13 million bus terminal above the Trans-Manhattan Expressway.[8][10] The agency had decided to hire Nervi after seeing several of his other designs, including the Stadio Flaminio in Rome, which Nervi had designed for the 1960 Summer Olympics.[11] The terminal's foundations were already complete at the time, while the ramps to the terminal were being built.[8] The Port Authority awarded a $9.6 million contract that December to the W. J. Barney Corporation and William L. Crow Company for the construction of the terminal's roof.[23][24] In February 1961, contractors erected the largest of 40 steel girders carrying the terminal above the Trans-Manhattan Expressway.[25][26] The steel frame of the terminal had been completed by that April, and workers had begun pouring concrete around the steel.[27]
Opening and early modifications
The George Washington Bridge Bus Station opened on January 17, 1963,[28] and was officially dedicated by New York governor Nelson Rockefeller and New Jersey governor Richard J. Hughes the next day.[29][30] After passengers complained that the terminal's open-air design let in cold air, the Port Authority approved the installation of a retractable plastic membrane in August 1963 at a cost of $200,000.[31] The PANYNJ also installed glass walls and louvers to protect passengers from strong winds from the west, and it installed heated glass-and-aluminum canopies above the ten departure platforms.[32] Although the bus terminal was intended to replace a series of sidewalk bus loading areas that existed between 166th and 167th streets further south,[28] the last bus route did not relocate to the new terminal until 1967.[33]
In its early years, the George Washington Bridge Bus Station was underused, as most passengers from New Jersey preferred to travel to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.[34] Upon the George Washington Bridge terminal's first anniversary, 750 buses served the terminal on an average day, carrying 20,500 passengers.[32] By 1974, The New York Times had written that the George Washington Bridge Bus Station "has never been a success and is still under-utilized".[35]
The PANYNJ hired developer McCann Real Equities in July 1999 to study the feasibility of erecting a multiplex cinema above the bus station. Had the multiplex been built, it would have contained 12 screens with a total of 2,800 seats and would have been operated by McCann under a 40-year lease.[36] The multiplex would have cost $20 million.[37] Ultimately, the multiplex was never built; there had been other unsuccessful plans to use the air rights above the terminal.[3] By the 2000s, the terminal retained much of its original design but had fallen into disrepair.[3]
Renovation
The PANYNJ approved a $152 million renovation of the George Washington Bridge Bus Station in October 2008.[38][39] The Port Authority was to contribute $49.5 million to the project, while developer Acadia would pay $102 million.[40] Although the terminal had accommodated 300,000 buses during the preceding year, carrying five million passengers, it had become dated and had never become as busy as the Port Authority Bus Terminal. The George Washington Bridge Bus Station lacked air-conditioning; it still contained payphones, at a time when many payphones across the city had been removed; and most of its retail activity consisted of off-track betting and sales of lottery tickets and cheap coffee.[41] Later that month, the PANYNJ revealed designs for the terminal's renovation.[42][40] The project was postponed due to the 2007–2008 financial crisis.[38][43]
The agency announced in July 2011 that the project would proceed after the PANYNJ signed an agreement with a consortium of developers who would lease the terminal's retail space for 99 years.[44][43] At that point, the cost had increased to $183 million. The developers were to provide $100 million for the project, while the PANYNJ would pay $83.2 million.[44] Development firm New York City Regional Center (NYCRC) initially lent $72 million to the private developers, and NYCRC later lent another $19 million for the project.[38] At the time of the announcement, the project was to begin in January 2012 and be completed by early 2013.[44]
The renovated building was to be improved with better access to local subway stops, displays of bus departure and arrival times, central air conditioning, and full
The terminal reopened on May 16, 2017, two years behind schedule, $17 million over budget, and still unfinished.[54][5] Tutor Perini filed a $120 million lawsuit against the PANYNJ in July 2019 over the project's "delays and cost overruns".[55][56] GWBBS Development Venture LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection that October, in part because of the delays, cost overruns, and arbitration proceedings with Tutor Perini.[57][58] Monarch Alternative Capital LP offered to take over the leasehold of the station's retail space, but negotiations with the PANYNJ stalled.[59] NYCRC sued the PANYNJ in 2021, claiming that the agency was trying to wipe out the firm's investment in the terminal by interfering with the planned sale of the retail leasehold.[60] Aurora Capital Associates and Bridges Development Group acquired the retail leasehold in December 2022 for $46 million.[61][62]
Subway connection
The complex is served by the
The bus station is also within walking distance of the
Bus service
On September 20, 2017, Greyhound announced that it would be providing service to the station starting September 27, while keeping the Port Authority Bus Terminal as its primary New York City location.[67]
As of 2020[update], the bus lines detailed below serve the terminal for the
MTA Regional Bus Operations
Ten local
Route | Terminal | via | notes |
---|---|---|---|
M4
|
The Cloisters or Fort Tryon Park (north) Fifth Avenue/32nd Street, Koreatown (south) |
Broadway and Fifth Avenue | Bus only runs to the Cloisters when the museum is open; it only runs to Fort Tryon Park at all other times. |
M5
|
Broadway/31st Street, Garment District | Riverside Drive, Fifth Avenue, and Broadway | |
M98 LTD
|
Fort Tryon Park (north) 68th Street/Lexington Avenue (south) |
Harlem River Drive and Lexington Avenue | Bus only runs during rush hours. |
M100
|
West 220th Street/Broadway, Inwood (north) West 125th Street/St. Nicholas Avenue, Harlem (south) |
Broadway and Amsterdam Avenues
|
|
Bx3 | 238th Street station, Riverdale, Bronx | University Avenue | |
Bx7
|
West 263rd Street/Riverdale Avenue, Riverdale, Bronx (north) 168th Street station (south) |
Broadway, Johnson Avenue, Henry Hudson Parkway | |
Bx11
|
Parkchester station, Parkchester, Bronx | 170th Street, Claremont Parkway, East 174th Street | |
Bx13
|
Bronx Terminal Market (extended to Third Avenue/163rd Street, rush hours) | West 181st Street, Ogden Avenue, East 161st Street | |
Bx35
|
Jennings Street and West Farms Road, Longwood, Bronx | Edward L. Grant Highway, East 167th Street, East 168th Street, East 169th Street | |
Bx36 | Olmstead Avenue and Randall Avenue, Soundview, Bronx | Tremont Avenue, White Plains Road |
New Jersey Transit
Route | Terminal | via | notes |
---|---|---|---|
171
|
Paterson Broadway Bus Terminal
|
GWB Plaza
Route 4 |
Spanish Transportation operates jitneys along a similar route to Paterson |
175
|
Ridgewood Bus Terminal | Some trips do not stop at Bergen Community College | |
178
|
Hackensack Bus Terminal | , Englewood Avenue | Englewood/Teaneck (northern route) variant of Route 182 |
181
|
Bergenline Ave. Station
|
GWB Plaza, Palisade Avenue, Bergenline Avenue
|
Limited peak and evening service Monday–Saturday. Other times, use the Spanish Transportation route, which runs down Bergenline Avenue and continues to Jersey City. |
182
|
Hackensack Bus Terminal | GWB Plaza , Fort Lee Road, DeGraw Avenue
|
Leonia/Teaneck/Bogota (southern route) variant of 178 |
186
|
Dumont | Sylvan Avenue , Palisades Avenue, Teaneck Road
|
|
188
|
West New York | Limited weekend service |
Coach USA
Rockland Coaches
Route | Terminals | via |
---|---|---|
9A & 9AT | New City (9A and 9W) (full-time) Central Nyack (9W) or Stony Point (9) (peak service only) |
Sylvan Avenue, Oak Tree Road, Piermont Avenue/River Road, Broadway, Nyack Turnpike (Central Nyack trips only) Lake Road, Main Street, Route 9W (Stony Point is served on select rush-hour trips) |
Short Line Bus
Route | Service | Terminals | Serving | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
208
|
PM peak | Montgomery, NY Route 211 and Clinton Street |
Ridgewood, NJ
|
|
AM peak | East Side, Manhattan 23rd Street and 2nd Avenue |
Manhattan neighborhoods: Washington Heights, Harlem, East Harlem, Yorkville, Upper East Side, Turtle Bay, Murray Hill, Kips Bay. |
|
See also
- Port Authority Bus Terminal
- Journal Square Transportation Center
- George Washington Bridge Plaza, across the bridge in Fort Lee, New Jersey
References
- ^ Vanterpool, Veronica (July 6, 2011). "New Life For GW Bridge Bus Station Overhaul". Tri-State Transportation Campaign. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
- ^ Banham, Reyner (1976). Megastructures. Thames and Hudson, Ltd. pp. 30–33.
- ^ a b c d Huxtable, Ada Louise (June 15, 2004). "A Landmark Destination: The Bus Station". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- ^ "Port Authority Prepares for Major Overhaul of George Washington Bridge Bus Station" (Press release). Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. June 30, 2011. Archived from the original on August 6, 2011. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
- ^ a b Pichardo, Carolina (May 16, 2017). "GWB Bus Station Finally Opens, 2 Years Behind Schedule". DNAinfo. Archived from the original on June 11, 2017.
- ^ Bernstein, Fred A. (November 2, 2004). "Second Look: George Washington Bridge Bus Station / Pier Luigi Nervi, 1963". ArchNewsNow. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
- ^ ProQuest 1327262787.
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
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- ^ "George Washington Bridge Bus Station". www.panynj.gov. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
- ^ Rivlin-Nadler, Max (August 25, 2014). "Port Authority Closes Dilapidated GWB Bus Terminal For Long-Overdue Renovation". Gothamist. Archived from the original on April 25, 2017. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
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- ^ Grant, Joseph (January 18, 1963). "Bus Terminal Is Dedicated in New York". The Record. p. 25. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
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- ^ Moritz, Owen (August 2, 1999). "Uptown plan eyes new hotel". New York Daily News. p. 484. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Foreclosure on $72m Loan Threatens GWB Bus Terminal Developers". The City. July 26, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
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- ^ a b Signore, John Del (October 16, 2008). "George Washington Bridge Bus Station Plans Revealed". Gothamist. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ "Designs for George Washington Bridge bus station revealed". The Real Deal. October 16, 2008. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ a b "George Washington Bridge bus station to get $183M renovation". The Real Deal. July 27, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ Pires, Claire (October 28, 2013). "George Washington Bridge Bus Station Is Finally Being Renovated". Northattan. Archived from the original on December 31, 2013.
- ^ "Port Authority's George Washington Bridge Bus Station Celebrates 50 Years of Regional Commuter Bus Service" (Press release). Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. January 13, 2013. Archived from the original on December 28, 2013. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
- ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ "Winner revealed for $100 million GW Bridge bus station redo". New York Business Journal. August 8, 2013. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
- ^ "Tutor Perini Building Corp. Awarded $100 Million Contract for George Washington Bridge Bus Station Redevelopment". tutorperinibuilding.com (Press release). August 8, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
- ^ Strunsky, Steve (January 17, 2013). "GW Bridge Bus Station gets $183 million facelift for 50th birthday". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ "George Washington Bridge Bus Station Building Closing For Renovations". cbsnews.com. August 24, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
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- ^ "George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal opens at long last in Washington Heights". ABC7 New York. May 16, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ Rodriguez, Joe Fitzgerald (July 20, 2019). "Central Subway contractor dispute threatens to bust budget". San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
- ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ Wilson, Colleen (October 8, 2019). "George Washington Bridge Bus Station developer files for bankruptcy". Bergen Record. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ Rubinstein, Dana (October 7, 2019). "George Washington Bridge bus station developer files for bankruptcy". POLITICO. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ Nazar, Julian (December 28, 2022). "Two New York City-based developers acquire retail site in Upper Manhattan for $46M". New York Business Journal. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ Modi, Priyanka (December 30, 2022). "Aurora Capital, Bridges Acquire GW Bus Station Retail Leasehold". The Real Deal. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ "MTA Neighborhood Maps: Washington Heights" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2015. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
- ^ a b "Subway Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. September 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
- ^ "Connections - George Washington Bridge Bus Station - The Port Authority of NY & NJ". www.panynj.gov. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
- ^ "Greyhound Begins Operations From Newly Renovated George Washington Bridge Bus Station" (Press release). September 20, 2017. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
- ^ "Bus Carriers and Routes". Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
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- ^ "Bronx Bus Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. October 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
External links
- GW Bridge Bus Station home page
- NJ Transit route finder Archived 2017-05-09 at the Wayback Machine
- Rockland Coaches Archived 2016-12-02 at the Wayback Machine
- ShortLine Bus
- Boarding Area from Google Maps Street View
- Waiting Room from Google Maps Street View