New Lots BPL to undergo renovations

December 9, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

The planned exterior of the New Lots library renovation. Image courtesy of BPL

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EAST NEW YORK — THE NEW LOTS BRANCH OF THE BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY will undergo a major renovation to address outdated infrastructure and better serve the community, reports PIX News. Planned upgrades include separate spaces for children, teens and adults as well as areas for music, art exhibitions and outdoor plazas. The library, open for nearly 70 years, sits partially on a Revolutionary War-era burial ground containing the remains of free and enslaved Black people. The library plans to honor the legacy of the burial ground by incorporating it into the renovation, along with design elements inspired by African and African American traditions.

Drawing inspiration from African traditions of communal dialogue, the library will feature design elements that create spaces for gathering, learning, reconciliation, and cultural celebration. Image courtesy of BPL

“To make sure that this community is kind of made whole by recognizing the pain and the suffering and the acknowledgment that this was existing on these grounds is really huge and it sends a message to the community that we’re finally being heard,” Assemblymember Nikki Lucas told PIX.

Construction is set to begin in fall 2025, with completion expected by 2028.

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