Artist’s rendering of the new Rego Park Branch of the Queens Public Library. Image Credit: DDC
The new library will be over double the size of the existing one. On July 28, 2021, Department of Design and Construction Commission Jamie Torres-Springer joined elected officials and the Queens Public Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott to reveal the design for the new Rego Park Library. Located at 91-41 63rd Drive, the new library will replace the current one-story library that has operated since 1975. The Rego Park branch currently serves nearly 200,000 people a year and lends approximately 190,000 items annually, making it one of the busiest library branches in Queens.
The new library will have two stories, and at 18,000 square feet more than doubles the size of the current library. The new library will have separate reading rooms for children and teens, computer access space, room for educational programs and other community activities. The new library will be designed by Weiss/Manfredi Architects and incorporates energy efficiency, balanced acoustics, natural lights and glare control for visual comfort.
The project is anticipated to begin construction in winter 2022 and be complete by summer 2025. The project will be managed by the Department of Design and Construction. The project is anticipated to cost approximately $33.2 million. Funding was secured with the efforts of Council Member Karen Koslowitz, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr, Former Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and Mayor Bill de Blasio.
DDC Commissioner Torres-Springer stated, ““DDC’s design for the new Rego Park Library greatly expands the available space and takes into account environmental sustainability and user comfort to create a friendly and enriching environment for both adults and younger people. Libraries are centers of learning as well as valuable community spaces and this project achieves both of those goals.”
Queens Borough President Richards stated, “The residents of Rego Park have been waiting for the construction of a new library for a very long time, but thankfully we’re here today to see this next step forward. The designs revealed today show the new Rego Park library will be a first-class facility that will meet and exceed the educational, cultural and occupational demands of this vibrant community. Libraries are community hubs that are centers of learning, literacy and culture, and the new Rego Park library will certainly fulfill this promise.”
By: Veronica Rose (Veronica is the CityLaw fellow and a New York Law School graduate, Class of 2018.)
Why was the name of the Architect who designed this new building excluded from this article?
This is shameful to not name the architect who designed this important building. Please consider this to be an important fact to include in all of your articles reporting on new buildings.
Thank you,
Nancy Aber Goshow, AIA, Goshow Architects
Good morning,
Thank you for feedback. The article is based on the information released by the Department of Design and Construction found here
DDC included the architectural firm, Weiss/Manfredi Architects, as did we in this article for our coverage of the project.
Best,
Veronica Rose