From preservation of existing educational spaces to the development of new ones, here is a look at the news surrounding some of the city’s libraries and educational facilities.
A growing number of people are pushing for more interiors at the New York Public Library’s Fifth Avenue building to be designated as New York City landmarks. Among those that are currently being considered include the Rose Main Reading room and the Bill Blass Catalog Room. Both spaces have been meticulously restored and are being taken under consideration by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. This isn’t the first time steps have been taken to designate the Rose Main Reading Room, however, as the Manhattan Community Board 4 asked the New York Public Library to consider landmark status for the space in 2013. At that time, the movement didn’t gain much traction. State Senators Brad Hoylman and Liz Krueger, who supported the 2013 call for preservation, recently asked the Landmarks Preservation Commission to reconsider the spaces for landmark designation.
While some are pleased with the movement to preserve these two rooms in the library, others believe it is not going far enough. Only a few spaces within the library’s main building are designated with the landmark status. The Committee to Save NYPL believes more than a dozen spaces within the building should receive landmark status. Among these spaces are the Samuel and Jeane H. Gottesman Exhibition Hall where the library occasionally holds free exhibits and the Celeste Bartos Forum that is often rented for weddings. The Committee to Save NYPL has the support of other organizations, including the Municipal Art Society and the Historic Districts Council.
Hunter’s Point Community Library Nears Completion
Hunters Point Community library in Long Island City is nearing completion. Designed by Steven Holl Architects, the quirky waterfront building is scheduled to open sometime this year. Its opening has been a long time coming, with designs for the library initially revealed in 2011. After alleviating fears of overspending on the $38 million project, it finally began to move forward in 2015 after local City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer’s budget helped with the financing. Being overseen by the city’s Department of Design and Construction, the library will ultimately offer an outdoor amphitheater, a cyber center, a roof terrace and a café.
New Cornell Tech Campus Nears Completion
Development of Cornell Tech’s Roosevelt Campus is well underway with the first of three buildings being constructed as part of the first phase nearing completion. Designed by Handel Architects, the tallest of these buildings is The House at Cornell Tech residential building. Once complete, the building will feature 350 apartments for students and faculty members. It will also become the tallest building in the world built to passive house standards. The tech incubator building designed by Weiss/Manfredi will be located next to the residential building. Known as The Bridge at Cornell Tech, the building will offer 230,000 square feet of space.
The Verizon Executive Education Center designed by Snohetta and the on-campus hotel will also be completed as part of the first phase of construction. Both of these buildings are expected to be open in 2019, while The House at Cornell Tech is expected to be completed in September.
Overall, the campus will be built in three phases with the last phase not to be completed until 2043. When completed, the campus will house a mix of academic researchers, entrepreneurs and tech companies along with 6,500 square feet of retail space.