UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - The public got their first look Thursday at the new Centro Transit Hub in downtown Utica, as the $5 million station gets ready to open for business next week.

After a little less than a year since construction began, the multi-modal transportation center is complete and now Centro riders have a hub that's convenient and safe while the city and county can boast continued economic development.

"If you look at this facility, if you look at the Harza building with Tom Clark, if you look at the excitement that's starting to flourish in the downtown area," Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri said. "People are starting to look at it much more seriously at this point. It just tells you that the rebirth is here."

The new hub has nine individual bus bays, an indoor waiting facility and covered platform as well as an information booth, ticket vending machine and public restrooms.

"Seeing this come to fruition is really a high point of my career," said Frank Kobliski, Executive Director of Centro. "This is what it's all about, making the transit experience the best that you can for the customer and the community at large."

With the new hub comes some changes in Centro stops. Five stops will be eliminated on Genesee Street from the Radisson Hotel down to APAC, which should improve the traffic flow downtown.

Full operation of the new hub is set to begin Monday, February 4.