The newly renovated Far Rockaway Library will celebrate its highly anticipated grand opening on Tuesday, July 30, at 11:30 a.m. The new library will open at its original location at 1637 Central Ave.
Currently, the library is operating at a temporary location with limited service at 1003 Beach 20th St. The temporary location will permanently close on Saturday, July 20.
In 2018, the library closed as part of plans to rebuild and reopen as an 18,000-square-foot 2-story building—twice the size of the original building. The $33 million project broke ground in fall 2018, but was delayed until 2024 due to the pandemic and other issues.
The new building will feature a unique glass exterior and a central space designed to bring in natural light throughout the building. Other design features include a glass pyramid entrance, an inverted pyramid atrium and access to bike racks.
Programming at the new library includes after-school study hours, a new Teen Room, a Cyber Center on the library’s first floor and story-reading events. The second floor will have separate adult and children’s reading areas, a meeting room and a small business center. The entire structure is ADA-compliant and will have an elevator and restrooms on both floors.
The Far Rockaway Library opened in 1968 and served the local community for 50 years. The single-story building provided various services, including after-school programming and disaster relief during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
