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Ground Breaking: Kensington Branch Library

October 23, 2009

On October 23, Commissioner Burney along with Brooklyn Public Library executive Director Dionne Mack-Harvin and Brooklyn elected officials broke ground on the New Kensington Branch on 18th Avenue in Brooklyn. The new 18,500 square-foot structure will replace the current Kensington Branch and will seek LEED certification. It will be one of the first library buildings in New York City to obtain this certification and the first in the Brooklyn library branch. The first floor of the new building will consist of the of the main circulation desk, the main reading area, stack areas and a separate section for young adults. The second floor is primarily for younger users, with necessary staff areas and book stacks. A central feature of the library is a sky-lit reading area. This skylight, combined with the main double-height glass curtain wall, bathes the entire library with natural light.

“The high-performance elements applied in the design of this library will serve as a model for producing other LEED certified libraries throughout the city,” said Commissioner Burney.

Since 2002 the city has completed 49 Brooklyn Public Library projects with a total construction cost of $39.7 million. The Department of Design and Construction is currently managing 30 other Brooklyn Public Library projects with a construction value of $39 million.