Hamilton Fish Park Library reopens today after $19 million renovation

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.

Checking in on the Hamilton Fish Park Library renovations

Photos by Stacie Joy 

The Hamilton Fish Park Library, located at 415 E. Houston St. between Pitt and Columbia, has been closed since the end of 2023 for "building improvements." 

The library is expected to reopen at the end of 2026 following the $19-million gut renovation, which includes a new open concept with floor-to-ceiling windows for better lighting. 

Per a CB3 presentation on the renovations: 

This goal will be accomplished by replacing existing translucent glass brick masonry units with new fully transparent windows on the Houston Street façade. This strengthened visual connection between the library exterior and interior improves the space's quality and draws in more visitors. The surrounding community will benefit from a revitalized and modernized public space, which accommodates the needs of the library patrons and improves its overall functionality. 

Here's a look at the work in progress the other day...

During the closure, patrons have been using: 

• Tompkins Square Library 

• Ottendorfer Library 

• Seward Park Library 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Hamilton Fish Park Library closing for a 2-plus year renovation

Hamilton Fish Park Library closing for a 2-plus year renovation

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

The Hamilton Fish Park Library at 415 E. Houston St. between Pitt and Columbia is set to close for "building improvements" through the end of 2026.

I stopped by and talked with managing librarian Brandon Korosh (below in the middle) ...

Korosh said that the $19-million gut renovation will include a new open concept with floor-to-ceiling windows for better lighting... workers will also strip the back wall to allow light through the (currently painted) panes.

The library was previously closed for two-plus years due to an "aging HVAC system," which will be replaced during this renovation. 

During the closure, patrons can use the branches at Seward Park, Tompkins Square and Ottendorfer.

Hamilton Fish Park Library reopens for limited service starting today

Photos last month by Stacie Joy

After a two-plus-year closure, the Hamilton Fish Park Library branch reopens today for limited service.

Patrons can pick up and return books and materials, use computers, and receive reference support from staff. 

The branch on East Houston at Columbia Street closed on March 14, 2020, due to an aging HVAC system that, according to NYPL officials, was "no longer capable of heating and cooling the building."

Hamilton Fish Park Library will remain open until the fall of 2023, according to an email from Yolanda Gleason, borough director, Staten Island & Manhattan Neighborhood Library Networks for the New York Public Library.

At that time next year:

...the branch will close for renovation to replace the HVAC system and provide other significant improvements to the building, such as accessible entry and bathrooms, a larger community room, dedicated spaces for children and teens, interior upgrades, rehabilitation of the windows, and increased data and power to support high-tech needs in the community. 

Gleason said that to further support the community, the library will continue to partner with community organizations such as the Henry Street Settlement, which currently hosts in-person services like storytime programs. 

Staff will also regularly visit the neighborhood’s local schools — such as NEST+M, P.S. 15, and P.S. 140 — to share information about print and digital collections, facilitate school workshops, and conduct programs for younger patrons. 

The branch's new hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays. 

Updated. 

Stacie Joy shared these photos from re-opening day... not everyone seemed to get the memo about the branch returning to service...

Hamilton Fish Park Library will operate with limited services during upcoming AC renovations

The Hamilton Fish Park Library will be open with reduced service starting on May 21 while the branch on East Houston at Columbia Street receives an upgrade to its air cooling system.

Here's part of the advisory via the EVG inbox...

Utilizing temporary air conditioning units, the Library will maintain a small portion of the branch throughout the summer for patrons to pick up and return materials. The Library will close for four days on May 17 to reconfigure the space.

The branch at 415 E. Houston St. will return to full service on Sept. 20.

Hamilton Fish Park Library is slated to receive a full renovation, which includes the installation of a new heating and cooling system.

Per the advisory, library officials recommend that patrons use the Ottendorfer branch on Second Avenue between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street or the Mulberry Street Library for their programming needs during this service change. (There wasn't any mention of the Tompkins Square branch on 10th Street.)