Tony Marx, president of the New York Public Library, announced recently that plans to convert the Fifth Avenue branch into a lending library and move research materials to another location have been scrapped. The $300 million project drew a great deal of criticism when it was announced last year. Architects, writers, researchers and others believed that the plan would “irreparably damage the building, aesthetically and functionally.” Marx stated that the intent of the project was always to make the library an even better place for all users.
New plans now include renovating the aging Mid-Manhattan Branch and adding computer labs. The Bloomberg administration had given the library 150 million to assist with its project. Those funds are expected to remain available for future renovations.
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