FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM DECEMBER 22, 2016 • THE QUEENS COURIER 11 New Elmhurst library fi nally opens up BY ANGELA MATUA amatua@qns.com @AngelaMatua Th e wait is fi nally over for Elmhurst residents who’ve been without their community library for four years. Th e community’s brand-new, modern, $32.4 million library at 86-01 Broadway formally opened on Tuesday, Dec. 20, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. On hand were various offi - cials including President and CEO Dennis Walcott, Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, Councilman Daniel Dromm and Department of Design and Construction Commissioner Feniosky Peña- Mora. It was built on the site of the original Elmhurst library, which closed in 2011 and demolished. Th e city estimated that it would take two years to demolish the building and erect the new library. Due to several factors, the construction was delayed and the initial $27.8 million price tag grew. Th e original library was built in 1906 and it was quickly deemed too small to service the community so several expansions and renovations were made throughout the years. Now, the new library spans 32,000 square feet and four fl oors; the original building was roughly half the size. New York-based Marpillero Pollak Architects designed the new branch, which features two green roofs, a cyber center and a Percent for Art installation by the artist Allan McCollum. Book lovers can choose from more than 75,000 books and multimedia for children and adults and 36,000 books and multimedia in nine other languages. According to Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, the chair of the council’s Cultural Aff airs and Libraries Committee, the expansion was 15 years in the making. Former Queens Borough President Helen Marshall allocated $23 million for the project aft er noticing how heavily the building was used. “I remember we came literally 15 years ago to the old library, walked Marshall through and the people were piled on top of each other,” said Van Bramer, who previously worked for Queens Library. “Th ey were literally reading on fl oors because this library has always been so well used and the community desperately wanted it and she said, ‘Oh no, this can’t be any more.’ She said, ‘We have to build a new library.’” Th e library is expected to be one of the busiest in the country with at least 1.2 million visitors a year. Elmhurst resident Lam Lu came to the grand opening with her 10-year-old niece, Rachel. Lu said she enjoys the design of the new library because it features “more light, more windows” and is “spacious” compared to the old building. Her niece was glad to see that designers incorporated more color into the new structure. “It’s awesome because it’s very new and the books are good,” she said. “It’s colorful and I like colorful things.” Th e library will be open on Mondays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesdays from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Th ursdays from noon to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Photo courtesy of Queens Library The Elmhurst library, which has been shut since 2011 for construction, was opened to the public on Dec. 20. Celebrate With Us! Complete Checking Plus 1.00% 0.51% APY1 For the first 90 days On balances of $5,000 or more Join the Grand Opening celebration of our new Flushing Bank location at 61-14 Springfield Boulevard. As part of the celebration, you will earn a special interest rate of 1.00%1 for the first 90 days when you open a new Complete Checking Plus account at any of our branches.1 a new Complete Checking Plus account at any of our Plus when you open a new Flushing Bank Complete Checking Plus account you can get up to $200.2 Hurry, this is a limited time offer. Call or stop by a branch today! For more information visit your local Flushing Bank branch, go to www.FlushingBank.com, or call 800.581.2889. Small enough to know you. Large enough to help you. 1. New Complete Checking Plus account with new money only. Existing checking account customers are not eligible. An existing checking customer is defined as anyone who currently has or has had a Flushing Bank checking account within the last 24 months. This offer is limited to one Complete Checking Plus account per household. The APY is effective October 17, 2016. The APY for Complete Checking Plus is 0.15% for daily account balances between $0 to $4,999. The blended annual percentage yield (APY) for Complete Checking Plus is 0.51% for daily account balances between $5,000 to $49,999 and 0.59% for daily account balances of $50,000 or greater. The guaranteed rate of 1.00% will remain in effect for 90 days after account opening. At the end of this 90 day period the annual percentage yield will revert to 0.35% for daily account balances between $5,000 to $49,999 and 0.45% for daily account balances of $50,000 or greater. Rates may change at any time without notice. You must maintain a daily balance of $5,000 for the statement cycle to receive the disclosed yield. If your daily account balance is less than $5,000 the interest rate paid on the entire balance in your account will be 0.15% APY. You must deposit a minimum of $100 to open the Complete Checking Plus account. A minimum balance of $5,000 is required to avoid a monthly maintenance fee. Fees may reduce the earnings on the account. The rate and offer are subject to change and early termination without prior notice at any time. 2. New Complete Checking or Complete Checking Plus account with new money only. Existing checking account customers are not eligible. An existing checking customer is defined as anyone who currently has or has had a Flushing Bank checking account within the last 24 months. This offer is limited to one Complete Checking or Complete Checking Plus account per household. Minimum deposit required to open a new Complete Checking account is $25 and a new Complete Checking Plus account is $100. No minimum balance required to be eligible for the Bonus. Direct Deposit – You will receive $100 for signing up for and receiving a recurring direct deposit of $250 or more. Tax refund checks do not qualify as direct deposit. Direct Deposits must be completed prior to 90 days after the account is opened. Debit Card Purchases – You will receive $50 for the completion of 5 debit card purchases. Each debit card purchase must be $25 or more. Online Banking Bill-payments – You will receive $50 for completing 5 online banking bill-payments via Flushing Bank’s Online Banking portal. Each online bill-pay must be $25 or more. Debit Card Purchases and Online Bill-payments must be completed prior to 60 days after the account is opened. THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT ANY CUSTOMER CAN RECEIVE IS $200. The compensation will be credited to the checking account on or about the end of the month following the completion of the above qualifying transactions within the required time after account opening. A 1099 will be issued in the amount credited to your account. Other fees and restrictions may apply. All offers are subject to change and termination without prior notice at any time. Flushing Bank is a registered trademark
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