Midwood

Library’s Midwood branch to get outdoor plaza

October 31, 2013 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle
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Book lovers who visit the Brooklyn Public Library’s Midwood branch will get to sit in beautiful plaza outside the building, thanks to Councilman David Greenfield, who obtained $250,000 from the city’s budget to fund its construction.

The outdoor plaza and sitting area outside the Midwood Library at 975 E. 16th St. will have  benches, trees, plantings and other amenities and will provide residents with a quiet place to sit outside the library, Greenfield said.

Plans for the plaza are still in the development stage, the councilman said.

Greenfield (D-Midwood-Borough Park-Bensonhurst) was joined by Brooklyn Public Library President Linda E. Johnson and Community Board 14 Chairman Alvin M. Berk when he made his announcement at the Midwood Library on Oct. 29.

In addition to providing an outdoor spot for library patrons to sit, the plaza will also provide respite for shoppers, pedestrians and commuters, according to Greenfield, who said it will be located around the corner from the busy commercial strip of Avenue J. The plaza will also bring much-needed green space to a very busy part of Midwood, he said.

The idea for a new plaza came after Greenfield visited the library to meet with seniors who took part in the Older Adults Technology Services program that he funded at the Midwood branch earlier this year. While he was there, Greenfield discussed the branch’s specific needs with staff members and decided that a sitting area and plaza would greatly improve not only the library, but the surrounding neighborhood.

“This represents a tremendous investment in our community and will serve thousands of residents and families in a busy part of Midwood,” Greenfield said. “I am very excited to work with Brooklyn Public Library on a design that will truly add to the community and improve the library experience for everyone who uses this popular branch. I am proud to have secured funding for this great public space, and my thanks to President Linda Johnson and everyone at Brooklyn Public Library for their work on this project.”

Johnson said that “this funding will allow us to build a beautiful new outdoor plaza and make the branch more inviting to the community. In the coming years, we look forward to attracting greater numbers of Brooklynites to Midwood Library to make use of the wealth of free resources we provide.”

“We are absolutely excited about this great announcement,” Berk said. “Community Board 14 has long made Brooklyn Public Library one of its top priorities each year, so we are delighted that Councilmember Greenfield has brought his support to this library. It is a vital part of the Midwood community and we look forward to the opening of the new pedestrian plaza once it is completed.”

 

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