Eastern Parkway Library redesign by Allied Works breaks ground

Allied Works has redesigned and expanded Brooklyn Public Library’s Eastern Parkway Library. Construction began in August. The New York City Department of Design and Construction is managing the project for Brooklyn Public Library (BPL).

The Eastern Parkway Library was a gift to Brooklyn from industrialist Andrew Carnegie. It was completed in 1914 and designed by Raymond Almirall. It is one of BPL’s busiest branch libraries. According to Allied Works’s design, the $36 million project will increase the library’s footprint by 50 percent.

“Our redesign of the Eastern Parkway Library honors the 112-year-old building and the people it serves, paying homage to the original Carnegie library building, while expanding its public spaces,” Brad Cloepfil, Allied Works founder and principal, said in a statement. The architecture firm has offices in Portland, Oregon, and Brooklyn.

south view rendering — South view rendering (Courtesy Allied Works)

The expansion will add a new 13,400-square-foot, 3-story wing along Schenectady Avenue. The addition will feature a double-height reading room with natural light; a reading mezzanine; and dedicated spaces for children, teens, and adults.

For the material palette, Allied Works has specified untreated Belgian oak, coal terrazzo, perforated metal ceilings, and precast concrete. Original arched windows inside existing reading rooms will be restored.

On the reading mezzanine, portraits by Brooklyn-based artist Oasa DuVerney of writers from the African diaspora will be displayed.

To address accessibility issues within the existing library, a new ADA accessible entry ramp will be included, as well as a new elevator and restrooms. The library will now be fully ADA-compliant, Allied Works noted.

reading room rendering — Original arched windows inside existing reading rooms will be restored. (Courtesy Allied Works)

The addition will have a green roof, high-performance glazing, and upgraded HVAC systems throughout the library, with the goal of reducing operational costs for BPL.

In a statement New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani praised the redesign for making the library “fully accessible, more energy efficient, and more welcoming, while honoring the architecture that has made this branch a beloved part of Crown Heights for more than a century.”

“With more natural light, a green courtyard, a reading terrace and spaces for kids, teens and families, we are giving New Yorkers a library worthy of the community it serves,” Mayor Mamdani added.

The project team is aiming for LEED Silver certification.

rendering of mezzanine area — Rendering of mezzanine area (Courtesy Allied Works)

With work underway, completion is expected in summer 2028. Then BPL staff will stock books, boot up computers, and make final adjustments. This stage is expected to take 8 to 12 weeks.

Allied Works is also working on two upcoming projects with the DDC: EMS Station 17 and Jackson Heights Library.

BPL has other architecturally notable commissions underway or recently completed. Its Canarsie branch, designed by Studio Joseph and now under construction, will be a mass timber building.

The Central Library has been reworked according to a master plan by Toshiko Mori Architect, and its Brooklyn Heights branch has a new design from Gensler.