Hunters Point Library working to fi x cracks, leakage
BY BILL PARRY
The president of the Friends
of Hunters Point Library believes
that reports of design flaws at the
newly opened waterfront have been
overblown.
The $41 million Queens Public
Library branch does have multiple
cracks on the floors and water leakage
in some areas, but when the 60-member
group meets in the new building
for the first time on Nov. 14, the organization’s
leader doubts the flaws will
even dominate the agenda.
“I see some issues that are easily
resolved but it’s minor stuff,” Friends
of Hunters Point Library President
Mark Christie said. “The building in
still a work in progress because they
opened when it was still incomplete so
stuff like this was bound to happen.”
Soon after it opened on Sept. 24, a
fiction section was found to be inaccessible
for the handicapped with no
elevator service, only steep staircases,
in violation of federal mandates.
The books have since been moved
to another section of the library.
“Our goal is to be inclusive and
welcoming, and to provide opportunity
and access to everyone,” Queens
Public Library President and CEO
Dennis M. Walcott said. “As we move
ahead with the current and future
The $41 million Hunters Point Library has some design flaws that are currently being
worked on. Photo: Mark Hallum/QNS
renovation of libraries in our system,
we are going to ensure that all of our
customers can fully and safely use our
resources. We are focusing on how to
meet the needs of all our customers
at Hunters Point as we settle into the
building and see what is working and
what can be improved.”
Library staff recently discovered
puddles of water in the children’s area
of the building and they noticed the
cracks in multiple areas including one
that a New York Post reporter said was
more than 10 feet long. A QPL spokeswoman
said they are working with
the city’s Department of Design and
Construction to remedy the situation.
“We can confirm there is no water
coming from the roof,” Elisabeth de
Bourbon said. “DDC is in the process
of determining the source of water
that was found in part of the children’s
area, and we are working with
the agency to address any other issues
that may arise, including cracks. We
are also working with DDC through a
punch list of minor work that remains
outstanding.”
The new branch was plagued by
cost overruns, construction delays,
an overly grandiose design by Steven
Holl Architects and other problems for
nearly a decade.
“Hunters Point Library is a unique,
visually beautiful building, and our
goal is to be inclusive and welcoming
and provide safe access to all,”
de Bourbon said. “It has drawn more
than 30,000 visits since opening day in
September, already making it one of
the busiest of QPL’s 63 libraries.”
Christie was confident that the
necessary fixes are being worked
on and that the public will continue
to embrace the new addition to the
neighborhood.
“To me this is something of a nonissue,
but for all the money they spent
on this project it should have been
a pristine diamond,” Christie said.
“That said, it is a beautiful jewel box
of a building that has become a beacon
for our community.”
TIMESLEDGER,8 NOV. 1-7, 2019 QNS.COM
/QNS.COM
