Construction is officially under way on the $39 million Rego Park Library in Queens, N.Y., marking a major investment in expanded public library services for one of the borough’s busiest communities. The project replaces the existing 50-year-old branch with a modern, three-story facility designed to better meet growing demand for programs, technology access and community space.
A groundbreaking ceremony on Dec. 9 marked the start of work on the ground-up replacement at 91-41 63rd Drive. The new building, designed by New York City–based architectural firm Weiss/Manfredi for the Queens Public Library (QPL) and managed by the city’s Department of Design and Construction (DDC), will more than double the size of the current facility. The existing one-story brick library offers just 7,500 sq. ft. and will soon be demolished to make way for an 18,000-sq.-ft. structure.
The Architect’s Newspaper reported that renderings show “a compact, three-story building wrapped in jade-colored brick, its surface marked by a cadence of tall vertical windows that sweep around both street-facing elevations.” The design emphasizes daylight, with vertical openings stretching across double-height reading rooms to create continuous bands of natural light. At street level, a recessed glass entry will reveal the building’s central stairway.
The Rego Park branch has long ranked among QPL’s busiest locations for checkouts, visits and computer use. For years, library staff and local officials have pointed to the building’s popularity as evidence that the aging facility could no longer keep pace with community needs, particularly for children’s programming, teen services and multipurpose gathering areas.
Now closed during construction, the library will continue serving the neighborhood through a mobile library stationed on-site, while patrons are also directed to nearby branches. Queens Public Library’s mobile service is scheduled to begin at the site on Jan. 8.
“Rego Park has grown and changed significantly since the current branch opened [in 1975], and we are thrilled to begin construction on a spectacular new library with double the space, modern amenities and a commanding street presence,” QPL President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott said at the groundbreaking event.
Inside, the new library will feature three full floors of programming space. The lower level will house a large multipurpose room and a dedicated teen reading area. Adult collections and resources will anchor the ground floor, while the second floor will include a children’s area designed to be bright and welcoming, along with a smaller multipurpose room for youth programming. Circulation throughout the building will be organized around a broad central stair paired with an elevator, improving accessibility and wayfinding.
Stalco Construction Inc. of Hauppauge, N.Y., is serving as general contractor. Construction is expected to be completed in late 2028.
Sustainability is a key component of the project. Plans include a low-maintenance green roof, high-efficiency lighting and mechanical systems, on-site stormwater retention and a highly insulated building envelope. The project is targeting LEED Silver certification and aligns with contemporary environmental performance standards for civic buildings.
“The new Rego Park Library has a remarkable design that will make it a standout in the community, and it features environmental sustainability features to reduce environmental impacts and the burden on local water, sewer and electrical systems,” said DDC Acting Commissioner Eduardo del Valle in a prepared statement. “I think you will agree that it's been worth waiting for. We have a growing portfolio of projects for Queens Public Library, and those projects contribute to learning and community cohesion for everyone in Queens.”
The project also falls under DDC’s Design and Construction Excellence Program, which pre-qualifies design firms to streamline procurement for public buildings. Through this initiative, New York City has delivered recent branch libraries in neighborhoods including Far Rockaway, East Flatbush, Inwood and The Bronx.
When it reopens, the Rego Park Library will also feature a major public art installation commissioned through the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs’ “Percent for Art” program. Artist Katrin Sigurdardottir’s mural, The Fore, will span approximately 1,500 sq. ft. across three interior walls. The artwork uses a modular brick system inspired by halftone printing and digital dot-matrix imagery to depict plants native to Queens—species the artist has previously foraged and used in handmade paper.
Elected officials have highlighted the project’s importance to the community and the broader borough.
“The new library in Rego Park has been a long time coming and I'm thrilled that its reconstruction is finally moving forward,” said U.S. Rep. Grace Meng. “It is an honor to join members of the community to help break ground on this crucial and exciting project. As a local library user and the mom of two children, I know firsthand the essential role that libraries play in our borough. All communities deserve a modern facility with updated resources, especially heavily used branches such as the Rego Park location. I hope the new building is built as quickly as possible and I look forward to its completion so that constituents in Rego Park can take advantage of all that it will have to offer for many years to come.”
The Rego Park Library is one of 66 locations operated by Queens Public Library, one of the largest and busiest public library systems in the United States. Founded in 1896, QPL serves one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse regions in the country, offering access to more than 5 million books and materials in 50 languages, along with tens of thousands of educational, cultural and civic programs each year.
Originally reported by The Architect’s Newspaper & Queens Public Library in Construction Equipment Guide.
