The New York Public Library has decided to scrap its drastic renovation plans, which involved remodeling the Stephen A. Schwarzman building, one of its research libraries, and selling the home of its mid-Manhattan Library.
The new plan calls for a less drastic renovation of the Schwarzman building, and keeping the mid-Manhattan branch open.
The original plan would have involved moving the stacks from the Schwarzman building to a storage facility in New Jersey, leaving plenty of space for Norman Foster to create a four-level atrium housing a circulating library, a cafe, and computers.
According to Hyperallergic, critics of this idea voiced concerns about its impact on the library as a research institution. Protests were held, and three lawsuits were filed in order to stop the renovation. In the end, the Library decided to change its plans for multiple reasons, according to the New York Times.
"Various factors contributed to the library’s decision, several trustees said: a study that showed the cost of renovating the main building to be more than expected (the project had originally been estimated at about $300 million); the change in city government; and input from the public," the New York Times reports.
Half the public space will be opened up in the Schwarzman building, according to the revised solution, including new spaces for youth and research/writing areas. In addition, the mid-Manhattan branch will undergo extensive remodeling in stages, so that it can be left open during construction.
One thing that remains in the Library's plans is the closing of the science library.
Related Stories
| Mar 7, 2014
Chicago's 7 most threatened buildings: Guyon Hotel, Jeffrey Theater make the list
The 2014 edition of Preservation Chicago's annual Chicago's 7 list includes an L station house, public school, theater, manufacturing district, power house, and hotel.
| Mar 5, 2014
5 tile design trends for 2014
Beveled, geometric, and high-tech patterns are among the hot ceramic tile trends, say tile design experts.
| Mar 4, 2014
First look: Historic grain silo to become soaring art gallery
British architect Thomas Heatherwick has proposed to repurpose a grain silo into an art gallery in Cape Town, South Africa. The silo is made up of 42-concrete tubes, which Heatherwick plans to make into gallery spaces.
| Feb 28, 2014
Six finalists selected in design competition for Canadian Holocaust monument
David Adjaye and Daniel Libeskind are among the finalists for the National Holocaust Monument, planned near the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.
| Feb 24, 2014
New Menil Drawing Institute will fit in with leafy surroundings
In Houston, plans are being finalized for the first freestanding American building built to house and conserve modern and contemporary drawings.
| Jan 30, 2014
How reverse engineering nature can spur design innovation
It’s not enough to copy nature. Today’s designers need a deeper understanding of environmental nuance, from the biome in.
| Jan 28, 2014
16 awe-inspiring interior designs from around the world [slideshow]
The International Interior Design Association released the winners of its 4th Annual Global Excellence Awards. Here's a recap of the winning projects.
| Jan 27, 2014
A climber's dream: Rock climbing hall planned near Iran's highest peak
Forget the rock climbing wall. A developer in Iran is building a rock climbing hall. That's right, an entire building dedicated to the sport, with more than 48,000 sf of program space.
| Jan 17, 2014
Crystal Bridges Museum will move Frank Lloyd Wright house from New Jersey to Arkansas
Numerous architectural experts have concluded that moving the Bachman Wilson House offers its best hope for long-term survival.
| Jan 13, 2014
Custom exterior fabricator A. Zahner unveils free façade design software for architects
The web-based tool uses the company's factory floor like "a massive rapid prototype machine,” allowing designers to manipulate designs on the fly based on cost and other factors, according to CEO/President Bill Zahner.
