The new Hunters Point Library in Long Island City, Queens, NY, built at a cost of $41 million and taking 15 years in planning and construction, was opened in October 2019. Sandwiched between the Pepsi-Cola sign and the Long Island sign in Gantry Plaza State Park, it stands out against a backdrop of high-rises. The structure was designed by Steven Holl Architects.
The façade sports interesting windows providing views across the East River to Manhattan. The exterior is of cast-in-place concrete that is painted silver.
Initial reviews criticized the designer for specifying only one elevator and for causing accessibility issues in the adult fiction stack and mezzanine seating areas. The books on those levels have since reportedly been moved.
