Seek library for LIC

Four years after an agreement was reached to build a library on the western Queens waterfront, construction has not begun. Therefore, on Thursday, November 16, elected officials joined with local residents to rally at the site, demanding that Avalon Bay, the site's developer, and the Queens West Development Corporation, the state agency overseeing the project, break ground on the library.
&#8220The children of Long Island City need and deserve a library,” said Councilmember Eric Gioia, who secured $1 million for the library from City capital funds.
&#8220When I was growing up in Woodside, I went to the library every day after school at P.S. 11. That library allowed me to immerse myself in a world of books and gave me the chance to open my mind to new opportunities and ideas.”
Gioia produced a petition with 750 signatures from local residents calling for developers to begin work on the library.
&#8220It would be a shame not to have a library here for the children of this neighborhood,” said Dorothy Hosey, a Long Island City resident and member of Citizens for Queens West Parcel 8 Library, a community group founded to push for the library's creation.
Over the last few years, Long Island City residents have become frustrated that the site developers have remediated - cleaned and cleared contamination - from Parcel 9 of Queens West to construct a 32-story, revenue-producing tower, but Parcel 8, where the library is slated to be built, remains uncleaned and uncleared.
A comment from Avalon Bay was not available by press time.
A spokesperson from the Empire State Development Corporation, deferred questions of why construction on the library had not yet begun to Queens Library, which said that until remediation is complete they cannot begin to build.
&#8220We are hopeful that Queens West and Avalon can make those things happen as quickly as possible,” said Jimmy Van Bramer, a library spokesperson. &#8220We share the community's desire to see construction begin as soon as possible.”
In addition, Queens Library is looking to raise an additional $5 or $6 million for the $10 million building, which the Library hopes to make an architecturally significant structure in the community, Van Bramer said.
&#8220We think this is doable given the great support from elected officials that we have already received,” Van Bramer said.
&#8220Very early on knowing how many people would one day be living in the community, we sought to have a library in that community,” Van Bramer said of Queens West. &#8220We understand given the proximity to P.S. 78 and to all of these new residents and older residents that this library would really be a focal point for this community.”