After being shut down for nearly two decades, the Cortlandt Street subway station reopens.

Top transit officials cut the ribbon on the revamped station today.

The new design is fully accessible and better equipped to handle large crowds.

Seventeen years ago, the station was destroyed during the September 11th attacks.

Construction for the new transit hub began in 2015.

MTA officials say the rest of the World Trade Center site needed to be rebuilt before work could begin on Cortlandt Street.

MTA chairman Joe Lhota says the station is a symbol of the city's perseverance.

"Building back I think has been very, very important. For me, this was a very solemn place. But what is really important is you look around at the resurgence that's happened here. The number of people who are living in Lower Manhattan, not just working. The amount of tourists who were all here this morning when we first got here. I think it is emblematic of our tremendous resiliency," MTA Chairman Joe Lhota said.

The new station is the first city subway station with air-conditioning.

There are also electronic signs that display real-time service updates.