FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JANUARY 9, 2020 • THE QUEENS COURIER 19
Despite Court Square Library’s impending
closure, QPL is ‘committed’ to staying in LIC
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
After serving the community
for three decades, the Court
Square Library will be closing
its doors for the final time next
month. Queens Public Library
operated the tiny branch on
the ground floor at One Court
Square but the tower’s new
owner declined to renew its
lease.
“Our lease ends March 31, so
public service will end sometime
Developer Jerry Wolkoff is contemplating space for a new Court Square Library
in his 5Pointz Towers, but adds that the Hunters Point Library is less than a
mile away.
in February,” Queens
Public Library Director of
Communications Elisabeth De
Bourbon said. “We need sufficient
time to pack and move
our materials, equipment,
shelving and furniture out of
the building, and restore the
space as necessary to comply
with the terms and conditions
of the lease.”
QPL has subleased the
3,200-square-foot space for
$1 a month from Citigroup,
which had been the anchor
tenant at the 53-story tower
since it opened. But Savanna
purchased the building in 2014
and is seeking market rent for
the space. Savanna was burned
by Amazon’s decision to scuttle
it’s HQ2 campus plan in Long
Island City as the e-commerce
giant was set to lease more
than 1.5 million square feet
of office space in the tower to
use as a temporary headquarters
during the build-out of its
complex.
Citigroup decided to relocate
its workers from One
Court Square to new locations
to make way for the Amazon
employees. Savanna has been
able to sign several corporate
clients to make up for some of
the loss.
“The library has occupied its
space under a sublease, which
ends by its own terms when the
direct tenant vacates the building
this year,” Savanna said in
a statement. “Our improvement
plan for the Annex at
One Court Square will deliver
a central Long Island City dining
and retail destination for
residents, office tenants and
visitors, making the most of
the property’s excellent location
and transportation.”
The number of people who
visit the branch and circulation
have skyrocketed since
the branch opened in 1989.
It attracts nearly 100,000 people
a year, and offers hundreds
of programs for the growing
The Court Square Library will close next month after the owner of One Court
Square declined to renew its lease.
community of residents and
employees of local businesses
and government and nonprofit
organizations.
‘The potential closure of
the Court Square Library is
completely unacceptable,”
Councilman Jimmy Van
Bramer said. “The Queens
Public Library must find a suitable
location so that this growing
community can continue
to have a library. I have communicated
to the QPL president
and CEO that library service
must continue. We will
continue to advocate forcefully
to the library, which tells us
they are actively pursuing new
locations for Court Square.
We will not give up and will
never accept the Court Square
community being without a
library.”
Meanwhile, Queens Public
Library President and CEO
Dennis M. Walcott has personally
scouted new locations in
the neighborhood and had discussions
with neighborhood
business leaders in an attempt
to find an alternative location.
“We are committed to having
a presence in a neighborhood
we have served for 30 years,
and continue to look for new
space there,” de Bourbon said.
Courtesy of Queens Public Library
“Affordability and suitability
are factors, however.”
Developer Jerry Wolkoff is
contemplating space for a new
Court Square Library in his
5Pointz Towers, but adds that
the Hunters Point Library is
less than a mile away.
Community Board 2 thought
it came up with a solution in
October when developer Jerry
Wolkoff came before them
with an application for modification
that would allow him to
build more units at his 5Pointz
Towers project where the graffiti
mecca once stood. CB2
was against the application but
voted in favor of the proposal
if it included space for a
5,000-square-library.
“I am contemplating the
idea,” Wolkoff said. “I am
thinking about it and I’ll get
back to them.”
But Wolkoff then pointed
out that CB2’s vote was advisory
and a decision is pending
from the City Planning
Commission.
“And I might add that they
just opened the Hunters Point
Library for more than $40 million
in September,” Wolkoff
said. “That library on Center
boulevard is just six-tenths of a
mile from my 5Pointz Towers.”
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