Update On New Roosevelt Island NY Public Library Branch Under Construction At 504 Main Street - Completion Expected By December 2019

Construction of the new Roosevelt Island NY Public Library branch, to be relocated from present cramped premises to it's future home on the first floor of 504 Main Street,

began October 12, 2018, more than 6 years after first being announced in July 2012.

Here's an update on the Roosevelt Island Library construction progress from NYC Department of Design and Construction:

The New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) is managing the construction of the new Roosevelt Island Library for the New York Public Library (NYPL). The existing branch library will be relocated to a new and larger facility so the library can serve additional patrons and add needed programming capabilities. It will incorporate certain environmentally sensitive measures to allow for an anticipated LEED certification. Ultimately the new space will transform the first floor of a former school building into a new library serving the entire Roosevelt Island community.

As of this newsletter, the construction has accomplished various tasks, including the following:

• Existing interior has been torn down and rebuild/framing is ongoing
• The framing is creating various new rooms for administrative and programming uses.
• Floor trenching completed to allow room for conduit carrying various utilities 
• Insulation within the new framing of outer walls still in progress.

The new facility will include some of the following spaces and functions:

• New shelving for general collection material
• A generously sized circulation desk
• Patron computer stations
• Designated reading area
• A community room
• Teen area
• Separate children’s room
• New restrooms, Public and Private Staff use

Substantial completion expected by December of 2019

Community Outreach:

Please contact Jomo Blackman at the DDC Office of Community Outreach& Notification for any project related inquiries or concerns.

Email: blackmajo@ddc.nyc.gov

Community Impacts:
During construction hours, you can expect the following:
Increased levels of dust, noise, and possible heavy equipment movement in and out of work site

Construction Hours:
Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3p.m.

RI Library Construction Update

Below is NYPL January 2016 presentation on the new Roosevelt Island branch library

Roosevelt Island Library - FINAL Presentation 1/2016


and more info from the October 2018 construction groundbreaking.