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New York Public Library's Iconic Fifth Avenue Fountains May Get Flashy Upgrade

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The historic fountains may gain lights that will illuminate them at night

Last year, the statuesque fountains that line the entrance to the New York Public Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building received new pipes and drains that allowed for running water after sitting dry for 30 years. This year, Beauty and Truth may see further enhancements through the addition of water jets in the fountain and illumination by way of new lights, reports DNAinfo. With the proposed changes, the library is seeking to bring attention to the two statues.

The new features will need to be approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission before they can be added. If approved, the project will be funded via a gift from the Robert W. Wilson Charitable Trust, and would be optimistically finished by the end of this year. A cost estimate for the project has yet to be developed.

The statues and fountain aren’t the only thing at NYPL that have been receiving upgrades lately. In 2015, the storage space below Bryant Park got a $23 million revamp and the Rose Main Reading Room is in the process of wrapping up renovations of its own.

The Landmarks Committee of Community Board 5 will hold a meeting tonight at Xavier High School (30 West 16th Street) at 6 p.m. which will include a public presentation of the planned changes.

NYPL - Stephen A. Schwarzman Building

455 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY