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One of the most recognizable library branches in NYC has been reopened after a three-year, $10 million renovation.
The New York Public Library's Jefferson Market Branch on Sixth Avenue at West 10th Street in the Village closed in 2019 for the upgrade, which included adding accessible entrances and enhancements throughout the building.
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The library had a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday to celebrate the reopening.
“The Jefferson Market Library is a historical and cultural touchstone of the West Village community that has provided exceptional resources and services for over 50 years,” said Anthony W. Marx, the president of the NYPL, in a statement. “The improvements to this beloved branch are a testament to its enduring role in the neighborhood and the patrons who will rediscover their love of reading and learning in its contemporary, accessible, and inspiring spaces.”
In total, the landmarked building, which usually has a spider puppet hanging off its tower on Halloween, has a new reconfigured Sixth Avenue entrance, a new, more effective elevator, reconstructed ADA restrooms, renovated public and staff spaces that add more public space and complement the building as well as improved data and power for the library's tech. The New York City Department of Design and Construction worked with NSP Enterprises Inc. and WXY Architecture + Urban Design on the project.
Now, since it's back open and better than ever, the library will participate in the “Summer at the Library” program, which offers New York kids, teens, and their families a series of free programs, including a massive book giveaway of 500,000 new quality books.
The branch's building was originally a courthouse, prison and market erected in 1877 and designed by Frederick Clark Withers and Calvert Vaux. The civil court was on the second floor, now the Adult Reading Room, and the police court was on the first floor, which is now the Children's Room! The brick-arched basement, now the Reference Room, was used as a holding area for prisoners on their way to jail or trial. The 100-foot-tall firewatcher's tower and bell are still intact and has incredible views of Greenwich Village.
