Photos by Stacie Joy
The Hamilton Fish Park Library reopens today (Nov. 6) following a $19 million renovation that kept the branch closed for nearly three years.
The New York Public Library branch, at 415 E. Houston St. near Pitt Street, closed on Dec. 30, 2023, for the extensive overhaul.
Improvements include a new ADA-accessible entrance, replacement windows and roof, updated lighting and furnishings, and a new heating and cooling system.
Inside, patrons will find new book collections for adults, teens and children, dedicated spaces for younger readers, an expanded community room and improved bathroom access.
The renovation also includes new computers, stronger Wi-Fi, facade improvements and landscaping outside the building.
This past June, the NYPL announced plans for a $30.2 million comprehensive renovation of the 122-year-old Carnegie branch on 10th Street.
The project is currently in the design phase, with construction projected to be completed by Dec. 22, 2028.
11 comments:
Wow! What a perfect rainy day for a reopening!
Always good news when nice things happen for the community!
Looks good!
Looks amazing. Great work!
This is the city for you. $19 million and 3 years later the library is reopened. What about the community that depends on the library for a work space... a study hall... a heating and cooling center... a digital source... print shop for online documents. And of course source of reading material. The city and the library system don't care about the people they serve.... that's obvious. And what is more obvious... that the coming renovation of Tompkins Square library will suffer the same fate.... denying the community of the resources and space it needs. I had suggested that if the library is forced to close for an extended period of time that an alternate space be found as a temporary solution to maintaining the needed services. I thought the St. Brigid school was perfect. Lots of space... and close by. The community pays taxes... it deserves services.
The city has many libraries. I don’t get the insane hate. These are full-scale renovations that have to meet building codes and contracts have to be awarded. Construction takes time and costs money. Especially if it’s going to be done correctly.
I don’t know why they didn’t have a temporary spot closer to this library when it was closed for so long. It’s quite far for folks in the neighborhood to get to Tompkins or Ottendorfer or Seward park. They shouldn’t have to be without a library for so many years. That being said, I heard they were limited when they could work on it because it’s attached to the school. So that could be why it took so long. I don’t know why Tompkins is scheduled for such a long closure though.
19 Million is sure a LOT of money
Many libraries but not if you are coming from school with small children. Teenagers hang out in libraries near school.The last time Tompkins had repairs Ottendorfer was overwhelmed!
Challenging situation.
to Anon 4:33
A 40 story building could be put up in less than a year. The library hands out low bid contracts. And the library users have to wait 3 years because the city wants to help small contractors. We pay taxes. We should get service. The city and the library system have lost the point of what we mean to the city. The people must be served.
$19 mil??? Thank you Hochul for your NY law requiring union labor on Sate and Local projects!!!
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