Earlier this month, Community Board 11 approved design plans for the reconstruction of the Douglaston-Little Neck library, slated to completely replace the original structure that was built in 1963.
On Monday, Jan. 3, board members voted in approval of the $25 million, 11,500-square-foot project for the 249-01 Northern Blvd. building that will feature three floors and a children’s open-air garden. The building will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Renderings for the Queens Public Library branch were unveiled back in November 2021 and CB 11’s Library Committee recommended the plan at its Dec. 21 meeting.
QPL commissioned BKSK Architects to create the library design, with construction planned to begin in late 2023 and finish in mid-2026. According to BKSK’s website, the firm specializes in sustainability, preservation, community and planning and they have had past experience with building libraries.
The planned library will have a LEED certification, the most widely used green building rating system in the world. Short for “leadership in energy and environmental design,” LEED certification is used to create healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving green buildings.
The Queens Chronicle reported that the certification is made possible by a green roof on the first floor and a rooftop garden on the second floor.
