FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 19, 2018
New Energy Efficient Building to be Twice the Size of Current Library
FAR ROCKAWAY, NY - The Far Rockaway Library, located at 1637 Central Avenue, will close next week in preparation for the construction of a new $33 million building. Over the next three years, the current library will be demolished and replaced with a state-of-the-art, two-story structure, which will double the size of the existing library to meet the information and learning needs of the growing neighborhood.
The last day of service at the current building has been scheduled for Friday, Sept. 28. The library will then operate out of a temporary location, which will open on Tuesday, Oct. 30 at 1 pm at 1003 Beach 20th Street, adjacent to the Far Rockaway Teen Center, located at 2002 Cornaga Avenue.
Mobile library service will be provided on Monday, Oct. 15 and Monday, Oct. 22, from 10 am to 5 pm, in front of the temporary space and Teen Center.
The new building, which will feature a glass curtain wall, pyramidal entrance, central atrium and blue roof, designed to detain water, will serve as a cornerstone of Downtown Far Rockaway, which is currently undergoing a revitalization that includes major new developments aiming to increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life for the community.
Expected to be completed in 2021, the new library will include designated children’s and teen spaces, an elevator, an ADA-compliant entrance and restrooms, a large meeting room, additional computer stations, a quiet room and self check-in/out equipment.
The new LEED-certified building, which will have minimal environmental impact and rely significantly on natural light, was designed by the renowned Oslo-based architectural firm Snøhetta, which has designed numerous other high-profile projects, including the Alexandria Library in Egypt and the National September 11 Memorial Museum & Pavilion at the World Trade Center site.
The existing 9,000-square-foot library, consisting of a single-story brick building, was completed in 1968.
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