After a series of embarrassing and baffling delays, the Hunters Point Library will make its long awaited debut at 47-07 Center Boulevard on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 2:30 p.m., the Queens Public Library announced on Twitter.
We are very pleased to announce that #HuntersPoint Library will OPEN on Tuesday, September 24th! Stay tuned for more details about the celebration! pic.twitter.com/WUW3DRwB6d
— Queens Public Library (@QPLNYC) August 22, 2019
The project, officially announced in 2011, had financial and logistical issues that caused deadlines to be pushed further and further back.1 In one such instance, a workers strike in Spain led to a delay because they fabricated a rare glass that was needed to complete the outside façade.
Finally, in October 2018, QNS reported that the project had entered the final phase, and the library would deliver in December, 2018.2 Of course, that deadline came and went until the official announcement was made on Thursday afternoon.
The building, designed by Steven Holl Architects, is 109 feet high, 168 feet long, 40 feet deep and will have 22,000 square feet of interior space.3 It will have sweeping views of the East River, and will be accessible via the Vernon-Jackson 7 train as well as the Long Island City ferry terminal.
“The opening of the new Hunters Point Library in Long Island City is a cause for celebration,” council member Jimmy Van Bramer said in a statement. “This state-of-the-art community library with over 50,000 books and materials, a community room that can hold 200, a cyber-center, quiet room, spectacular children’s room and a programmable rooftop area with stadium seating will improve lives from day one.”
Courtesy of the Queens Library