Councilman Eric Ulrich announced that the Woodhaven branch of the Queens Public Library will receive major funding for a big renovation.
The entire project will cost over $25 million with some money coming from the 2022 New York City budget. The reconstruction will add a new children’s room, a new teen room and a new adult reading room. The library will also become more accessible by adding automatic doors, new elevators, restrooms and ramps.
The exterior will be renovated with historically authentic windows of the same size as the original design. There will also be a new roofing system installed and additional masonry work.
The building opened its doors in 1924 as the last Carnegie Library built in Queens.
“Libraries serve everybody — old and young, rich and poor,” Ulrich said. “They’re part of the fabric of our communities. They bring people together. That’s why I thought it was so important to ensure that my last budget as a Council member included a major upgrade to the Woodhaven branch of Queens.”
Ulrich thanked the support he has received from Speaker Corey Johnson, who secured another $4.1 million for the project. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards also secured $1.5 million.
Other Queens representatives, including Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar joined Ulrich during his announcement.
“As the first elected official from Woodhaven in a generation, I am grateful for this much needed infusion of capital funds into the Woodhaven Library,” Rajkumar said. “The new children’s room and teen room will foster a lifelong love of reading in the youth of Woodhaven. The complete renovation of the library will create a support space for job seekers and entrepreneurs.”
Rajkumar continued and said libraries are critical part of every neighborhood.
“Libraries are as much a part of our city’s infrastructure as any street or subway, and today our elected officials recognize this with an unprecedented amount of capital funding for our beloved community library,” Rajkumar said.
