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2nd Avenue Subway Cooling System Will "Blight" UES
The NY Sun's architecture review of the new Bronx Library Center on Kingsbridge Road prompted us to look for some photographs (James Gardners says the library is like a "flying saucer in a cornfield" - and that's "not necessarily a bad thing"). And the NY Public Library's Bronx LIbrary Center website does have photographs of the new buildling's construction progress. Gothamist loves how the library is next to Tuff City Tattoos.
The library was designed by Richard Dattner. It will open next week, on January 17. One of the first events is a Manga Drawing Workshop with Yuka Nagate. And Gardner's review also mention's Dattner's career (designing PS 234 in Tribeca, designing a Central Park playground) and book, Civil Architecture, which sounds pretty interesting.
Photograph from the NY Public Library
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Library looks great. I've always been baffled why most all libraries in town are designed like prisons and have bizarre hours. Seems like the most economical way of helping kids stay out of trouble and better themselves in the process is to have grand libraries, open every day. The city council always finds novel ways to waste money, but ignores the obvious.
I think NY state ended up giving a few million to the project. but itls very sad that the city can't afford to keep some libraries open on the weekend.
Wow, it took less than two years for them build this new library from scratch. The 115th St. branch, my local library, has been under renovation for at least three years.
one of bloomberg's first initiatives was to take the city's bidding process for public buildings and open it up to design merits, not just ugly bottom dollar bids.
Some of the Queens Public Library branches are are open 7 days a week; should be everywhere, and it would be great if they were open earlier in the day, too. Libraries are cool places; really, open them up 24 hours a day.
I'm no fan of Starbucks, but the Multnomah (Portland, OR) County Library did open up an espresso stand in the central library. The fiction room, where the SB is, allows you to have coffee with you. At least a decade ago that was true. I think a portion of the stand's sales did go to the library system.
i'm going!!!!! i can't wait..whee!
i'm going!!!!! i can't wait..whee!
Two years to build, yes... but about 20 years in the making. Come up and visit January 17!
k,
Bloomberg had nothing to do with this building and it is highly unlikely that the Architect Agreement was not publicly bid. The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox & Tilden Foundation is a private not-for-profit, and while it receives city funding, it is not a city (or state for that matter) entity. The beautiful design of this project is simply due to forward thinking on the part of the New York Public Library.
i can't believe you stopped talking about williamsburg long enough to run a bronx story!
k (the original lower case k), the Queens Borough Public Libraries are independent of the New York Public Library system, thus the difference in hours.
Very cool about the Starbucks, but do any of the books get damaged as a result?
For the record, the Brooklyn Public Library is also independent of the NYPL system. The NYPL just serves Manhattan, The Bronx and Staten Island.
Boy, that's one ugly and uninspired building.
right, that's why i wrote Queens Public Library.....don't mess with me on public libraries, baby, they are my second home. all of them. does strike me as a little odd that queens could fund those kind of hours but nypl can't.
as for book damage...i really did spend way too much time in that library when I lived in portland, and i never saw any mishaps. i'm pretty sure the gorgeous new koolhaas-designed central branch of the seattle public library lets you have coffee in those commuter mugs all over, so long as they have a spill proof lid. they don't check or anything.
Looks like you can get a tattoo after you are done at the library