Rendering of Court Square Library’s future home on the Davis Street side of 5PointzLIC.
Queens Public Library Finalizes Lease For New Court Square Branch at 5PointzLIC
Deal Provides 4,500 Square Feet of Space at the Jackson Avenue Residential Complex
QUEENS, NY _ Queens Public Library today announced it has signed a lease with G&M Realty 2 LLC for a new Court Square branch at the 5PointzLIC residential complex at 22-44 Jackson Avenue in Long Island City. The lease is for an initial fifteen-year term, with an additional 5-year renewal option, allowing the Library to serve the Long Island City community at this location for the next two decades.
The space consists of 4,500 square feet on the building’s second floor and replaces QPL’s former location nearby at One Court Square, in the former Citicorp Building, with a monthly rent of $11,250 that will increase 3 percent annually. The Library expects to complete the design for the new branch later this year and estimates construction will take two years at a cost of $3.2 million.
“Finding an affordable and inspiring new home for the Court Square branch has been a top priority, and we are extremely pleased to be one step closer to reestablishing a permanent presence in the neighborhood,” said Queens Public Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott. “We are grateful to our Board of Trustees, elected leaders, and members of the public for their support throughout the process, and we look forward to transforming the space into a dynamic library for the community.”
“Today marks an exciting milestone for the Long Island City community, as we officially announce a 15-year lease for a new library space. This agreement will allow us to create a modern, accessible facility that will serve residents for many years,” said First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer. “A new library is needed to meet the needs of the growing community and will serve as a hub for learning and connection, helping New Yorkers gain access to valuable services and programs.”
“A great library is a fundamental foundation for a strong and thriving community,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “That’s why I am so thrilled Queens Public Library has signed a lease agreement for what will be a wonderful new library in the 5PointzLIC residential complex. This library will be a beacon of learning, enlightenment and community engagement for the residents of Long Island City for decades to come.”
“Through our collective advocacy, Queens Public Library and 5PointzLIC have come to an agreement and signed the lease for the return of the Court Square Library branch. Since taking office, I have spent every single month pushing for the long-promised Court Square library relocation announced in 2020,” said Council Member Julie Won. “I will continue to work closely with QPL and 5PointzLIC to ensure the design and construction processes are completed in a timely manner. I look forward to the reopening so our young readers and neighbors can enjoy a local public library again.”
“We are excited to have Queens Public Library here at 5PointzLIC, and we are thrilled that the Court Square community will once again have a great library branch,” said G&M Realty 2 LLC President David Wolkoff. “We are grateful to everyone involved for their help in bringing this transaction to fruition.”
About Queens Public Library
Queens Public Library is one of the largest and busiest public library systems in the United States, dedicated to serving the most ethnically and culturally diverse area in the country. An independent, non-profit organization founded in 1896, Queens Public Library offers free access to a collection of more than 5 million books and other materials in 50 languages, technology, and digital resources. Each year, the Library hosts tens of thousands of online and in-person educational, cultural, and civic programs and welcomes millions of visitors through its doors. With a presence in nearly every neighborhood across the borough of Queens, the Library consists of 66 locations, including branch libraries, a Central Library, seven adult learning centers, a technology lab at the Queensbridge public housing complex, a community learning center at the Ravenswood public housing complex, and five teen centers. It also has two bookmobiles and two book bicycles.
###
Contact: Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska, ekern@queenslibrary.org