The New York Public Library Holds Grand Opening Of Its New Midtown Branch on June 27

NYPL President Tony Marx, elected officials, and others cut the ribbon on the new 53rd Street Library, one of the system’s largest branches  

JUNE 20, 2016 – A grand opening and ribbon-cutting to celebrate The New York Public Library’s new 53rd Street branch was held at 10 a.m. on June 27, followed by a day of programming to welcome the community.

The library, located in midtown at 18 West 53rd Street, is one of the largest branches in The New York Public Library system, offering three floors and a diverse suite of services for the community, including:

  • Dedicated spaces for children and teens.

  • A programming space – which can accommodate over 250 people – featuring stadium seating and a multimedia wall.

  • A 120-capacity community room (that can be divided) for classes and programs.

  • A street-level “grab and go” area so patrons can easily access holds or browse through popular titles.

  • 22 new desktop computers and 46 laptop computers, as well as public wi-fi.

  • Extensive public space and seating for reading, working or plugging into one of 381 electrical outlets

  • Tens of thousands of books and other materials.

  • An award-winning design by architect Enrique Norten and his firm TEN Arquitectos; the $23 million project received the 2013 Project Merit Award from the American Institute of Architects, New York Chapter.

  • ADA accessibility, featuring an assistive listening system (or loop) in both its community room and public program area.

“I am delighted to see the opening of the highly-anticipated 53rd Street Library, which will provide an oasis of important free programs, classes, services, and materials to a bustling midtown community,” said NYPL President Tony Marx. “With its welcoming expert staff and book collection tailored to the neighborhood, we believe this branch is worthy of the passionate community that it will long serve.”

Construction on the 53rd Street Library, formerly the site of the Donnell Library Center, began in February 2015 when developer Tribeca Associates and Starwood Capital turned raw space over to the Library. The branch was paid for almost entirely with private funds; a $664,000 state technology grant was also utilized.

The construction managers were Turner Construction Company and owners representative Lehrer, LLC. Cosentini Associates and WSP Cantor Seinuk served as engineers on the project. Other consultants included HLB Lighting Design, 2x4 for Signage and Graphics, and Tritech for Audio-Visual Systems. 

The Library is applying for Gold LEED certification for the branch for its use of energy-efficient equipment, recycled and local materials, and products that have low-emissions, as well as its management of construction waste and its optimizing of energy through lighting and HVAC control.

The branch – located across the street from the Museum of Modern Art, which the Library plans to work with on programming – offered programs throughout the day, including:

  • An 11 a.m. children’s story time program with Hervé Tullet, author of popular interactive children’s books Press Here, Mix it Up, and Let’s Play.

  • A 2 p.m. sculpture activity for kids with the Museum of Modern Art.

  • A 5:30 p.m. music program with Blaise Siwula, who will perform the flute and gong.

  • A 6 p.m. reading by author and former ambassador to the United Nations  Sichan Siv.

"This community has been eagerly awaiting the opening of the 53rd Street Library, and I predict that it will be one of the most exciting, dynamic branches in the entire system," said Council Member Dan Garodnick. "We are all looking forward to enjoying the services this new branch will offer."

“With a commitment to lifelong education and open access to knowledge public libraries are the cornerstones of communities throughout New York City,” said State Senator Brad Hoylman. “The 53rd Street branch, which will be one of the largest in the system, will be an invaluable resource for thousands of midtown residents, offering dedicated spaces for kids and community organizations, educational programming, as well as free Internet access. I’m thrilled to welcome the 53rd Street branch into my district and express my sincere gratitude to NYPL president Tony Marx for helping bring this much-needed resource the community.”

“All of the staff at the 53rd Street Library are excited to welcome this energetic and vibrant community into the new branch,” said Managing Librarian Genoveve Stowell, who previously led midtown’s Grand Central Library. “We encourage everyone to stop by, say hi, and take advantage of our robust collection of books, programs, classes and other resources. We look forward to meeting you all!”

The 53rd Street Library will be open Mondays and Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Tuesdays and Thursdays 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Special thanks to: Mayor Bill de Blasio; City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito; City Council Member Daniel Garodnick; Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer; United States Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney; New York State Senator Brad Hoylman; New York State Assemblymember Dan Quart.

About The New York Public Library

The New York Public Library is a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With 93 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars, and has seen record numbers of attendance and circulation in recent years. The New York Public Library serves more than 18 million patrons who come through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org. To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at nypl.org/support.