Joint Public Library And Affordable Housing Development Opens In BK

SUNSET PARK, NY — One of Brooklyn's busiest and newly expanded libraries now shares a space with an affordable housing development — a new partnership developers hope will set a precedent citywide.

The new library opened at its original location on 4th Avenue and 51st Street opened Wednesday — and it's a whopping 9,000 square feet larger than it used to be, according to library representatives.

"At 12,200 square feet, the previous branch was too small and too outdated to meet the needs of the patrons," library representatives said.

The updated library also includes a new HVAC system, more electrical outlets, and a better air conditioner.

"The new library is everything that the previous one was not: bright and comfortable, with an open, flexible design and up-to-date technological infrastructure," library representatives said.

And, stacked on top of the two-and-a-half-floor library sits 49 affordable housing units largely renting between $500 and $1,000 a month. The units also represent a momentous shift — Sunset Park's first affordable housing development in over 20 years.

The development includes studios, 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units for locals making up to 80 percent of the area median income.

Community Board 7 residents will have preferential placement in half the apartments, with additional units reserved for city employees and locals with physical disabilities and vision and hearing impairments.

A partnership between the Brooklyn Public Library, Fifth Avenue Committee and City and State of New York, many electeds and developers hope the new library becomes a model for shared-use projects across the city.

"This is the kind of innovative and holistic investment we need to make in our city’s neighborhoods," said HPD Commissioner Adolfo Carrión Jr.

Building a new library alone would have cost double the ultimate cost of the project, according to a representative of the development. The library portion of the development cost $17 million.

“Sunset Park Library and Apartments is what it looks like to build with the public good in mind,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “I’m so proud that Brooklyn is home to this historic, state-of-the-art project."