Friday, November 14, 2014

You're Invited To New York Public Library Community Conversation About New Roosevelt Island Library On November 20 - What Are Your Thoughts And Ideas For New Library At 504 Main Street?

According to the New York Public Library:

The New York Public Library: Building for You

Please join The New York Public Library for a Community Conversation about the new Roosevelt Island Library
Thursday, November 20, 2014 | 6-8 PM
Good Shepherd Community Center
543 Main Street, Roosevelt Island

The New York Public Library is planning for a new home for the Roosevelt Island Library. We would like to hear your thoughts and ideas on the programs and services for the new library.

The NYPL Capital Projects web page adds:

Roosevelt Island, Manhattan

NYPL is building a new, larger building to replace this branch. The 5,200-square-foot building, which will add much-needed public programming space, will more than double the current building. Opening expected in early 2017.
Diane Chin of the Roosevelt Island NY Public Library adds:
The following NYPL staff members will be speaking at the Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, November 20:

Nicole Nelson, Library Manager of the Roosevelt Island Library
Dawn Chance, Library Network Manager
Christopher Platt, Acting Vice President of Public Service
George Mihaltses, Vice President of Government and Community Affairs
The new Roosevelt Island branch library will be located on the first floor of 504 Main Street.


Here's some background on the future brand new Roosevelt Island Public Library at 504 Main Street.
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As reported July 16, 2012:
Image of NYC Council Member Lappin, NYPL President Anthony Marx and Roosevelt Island Kids

Last Friday, Roosevelt Island's NYC Council Member Jessica Lappin stood in front of our current dilapidated library accompanied by NY Public Library President Anthony Marx and Roosevelt Island children. Ms. Lappin and Mr. Marx were here to announce that she has secured $2 million from the NYC 2013 Fiscal Year Budget to move the Roosevelt Island Library to a new location at 504 Main Street's first floor. Here's what Ms. Lappin and Mr. Marx had to say about the new Roosevelt Island library.

As reported July 3, 2013:
... the New York Public Library (NYPL) signed a lease with Hudson Related Companies for a new Roosevelt Island branch at 504 Main Street....
and:
... Current projected schedule is to start design 12/2013 or 1/2014, start construction some time in 2015, and open the new branch in 2017, and the current budget is approximately $4.5 million....
As reported August 25, 2014:
... More than 2 years after the announcement that Roosevelt Island will be getting a new library and 1 year after the lease signing, what is the status of our new library?

The new Roosevelt Island NYPL library branch was discussed during July 30 Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Real Estate Advisory Committee meeting (video of meeting here and audio web cast of meeting here). During the meeting, Hudson Related Main Street Master Leaseholder David Kramer expressed frustration with the "pace" in moving the library project forward due to RIOC's delay replacing the windows at the 504 Main Street building.

Here's what Mr. Kramer had to say.



RIOC Director Margie Smith asked Mr. Kramer if RIOC was responsible for delaying the project. Mr. Kramer replied yes, but that RIOC was about to begin work on the window project which was confirmed by RIOC President Charlene Indelicato who anticipates window replacement work to begin at end of August.

Here's that discussion



On September 15, 2014, RIOC President Charlene Indelicato reported about the window work for the future Public Library at 504 Main Street:
...At 504 Main Street, the fabrication and installation of new windows is underway. Now that the windows have been manufactured to specifications, installation has begun. Installation work is currently scheduled to be completed in November....
On October 2, 2014 the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Island Services Committee reported:
New Public Library ‐ Installation of new windows was completed by RIOC for the first floor of 504 Main. We expect that work will now begin to renovate the space for the new library. We don’t have an official date for the start of operations at the new site, but it’s unlikely that we’ll have a new library before 2016.
Now it's the Roosevelt Island community's turn to tell the NY Public Library your thoughts and ideas on programs and services for our new library. You can tell them at the November 20 Community Conversation.

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