The long-awaited plans for a library at Queens West took a big step forward recently and received another shot in the arm as Queens Borough President Helen Marshall decided to allocate an additional $1 million for the project.
Marshall’s decision came after a meeting last month with representatives from the Port Authority of NY & NJ, Queens West Development Corporation (QWDC), Queens Library executives and local elected officials to rev up discussions about raising the additional funds in order to begin design plans that have been in a holding pattern for about five years.
The additional $1 million contribution from Marshall brings her contribution for the project to nearly $7 million and the total amount raised thus far is roughly $12 million, according to Marshall spokesperson Dan Andrews. However, Andrews cautioned that there is still a long way to go in terms of fundraising with some estimates for the cost of the project at nearly $40 million – depending on the scope of the library.
One of the people leading the charge for the library is Ed Sadowsky, a former Queens City Councilmember and current President of the Board of Directors at Citylights, the 42-story building that became the first one built as part of the Queens West development more than 10 years ago.
“There seems to be, at least based upon a meeting held a few weeks ago, some movement forward to arrive at the funding,” Sadowsky said. The parties involved in the plan are slated to convene again later this month to reexamine funding possibilities.
Currently, the site planned for the library is on parcel eight of the Queens West Development Project on Center Boulevard – facing the waterfront park with a view of the East River and the Manhattan skyline.
“You would think an iconic building would be a terrific draw for the community,” Sadowsky said.
In addition to all of the traffic from the residents of the apartments and condos at the Queens West site, Sadowsky and Andrews reiterated that the proposed library would also be in the middle of the recently approved Hunters Point South project.
The 30-acre Hunters Point South site – bounded by 50th Avenue, Second Street, Newtown Creek and the East River – will accommodate 5,000 new units of housing, most of which will be rental.
The combined apartment count in the area where the library will sit is more than 10,000 and it will be in close proximity to a new school, according to Andrews.
“It’s a very much needed library, and the Borough President recognizes that need,” Andrews said.
