On September 11, 2001, a terrorist attack destroyed the World Trade Center, located slightly to the north of South Ferry and the Battery. Since the entire WTC site was destroyed in the attacks, this meant that the segment of the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line that ran through the WTC, including the Cortlandt Street station two stops north of South Ferry, was also destroyed. This resulted in service changes to the 1, 2, and 3 routes and led to reduced service in Manhattan and Brooklyn until the WTC section of the line reopened in September 2002. Concurrent with the rebuilding of that section of the line, MTA officials recognized the need to build a more efficient terminal for the 1 and 9 trains at South Ferry, since it was anticipated that the line would be heavily used in the long-term aftermath of the attacks. This also coincided with the renovation of Battery Park. The new station would also allow easier transfers for travelers to the Staten Island Ferry or the tour ferries to Liberty and Ellis islands.