The the futuristic-looking Hunters Point Library in Queens has been several years in the making, but a new in-depth look by the New York Times has revealed that the $38 million project is finally well on its way to completion.
Designed by Steven Holl Architects, the structure is 81 and a half feet tall and is perhaps most recognizable for its uniquely shaped cutouts. The Times went on a hard hat tour of the space recently and found that those cutouts provide stunning views of the Manhattan skyline including the under-construction American Copper Buildings, and the United Nations Secretariat Building.
Holl’s design for the building was revealed in 2011, but the project took quite some time to actually get off the ground due to budget concerns and overspending by the previous head of the Queens LIbrary. The organization is now being helmed by Dennis M. Walcott, who previously served as a deputy mayor and a schools chancellor. The project finally got underway last summer.
Construction photographer Tectonic captured several images of the under-construction library about a month ago, and it’s evident from the Times’ images that the project has progressed significantly in just the last few weeks.
It’s clear that Holl’s design is looking to cement the library’s place among the iconic waterfront structures in Long Island City, seeing as the building is located right between the Pepsi-Cola sign, and the Long Island sign, at 47-40 Center Boulevard.
The sculpted cuts in the facade will each look into the library’s the adult, teen, and kids reading areas respectively. Plans for the library also call for a cyber center, an outdoor amphitheater, a roof terrace, and a cafe. The project, the construction for which is being overseen by the city’s Department of Design and Construction, and received major funding from local City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer’s budget, will likely open sometime next year.
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