The reopening of the 67th Street Library on the Upper East Side is being delayed because of water damage caused by heavy rains this summer, city officials said.
The New York Public Library branch, located between Second and First avenues, was closed in March to undergo renovations to replace the roof and upgrade the heating and cooling units. It was expected to reopen in the summer.
But, while construction on the roof was ongoing, a “heavy torrential downpour” in the third week of July caused a drainage overflow that damaged the inside of the building, said Shoshana Khan, a spokeswoman with the city’s Department of Design and Construction (DDC), which is overseeing the roof and HVAC renovations.
A DCC contractor fixed the damage to the ceiling and walls on the first floor, third floor and cellar in August, but the NYPL was handling further repairs related to the water damage, Khan said. The DDC also was finalizing the renovations that began in March.
As a result, the reopening was delayed “to ensure that all repairs are made, the branch is fully functional, and it can best serve the needs of our patrons,” NYPL spokeswoman Angela Montefinise said.
The branch, which first opened in 1905 and was renovated in the 1950s and in 2005, is now expected to reopen in November, the library says on its website.
“We appreciate the community’s patience as we work to get its beloved library back open,” Montefinise said.
While the 67th Street location is closed, the NYPL is encouraging New Yorkers to use the branches on East 58th Street between Park and Lexington avenues, the Webster Library on York Avenue and East 78th Street and the Yorkville Library on East 79th Street between Third and Second avenues.
