The idea of living in a library is every book lover’s dream — and it could become reality for some lucky Bronx households in the coming years.
The Grand Concourse library, located at 155 East 173rd Street, is slated for a major remodel that will create a new, two-story public library with approximately 113 units of affordable housing on top. Fifteen percent of the units will be set aside for formerly homeless New Yorkers.
The city announced the Request for Proposals (RFP) in February and ultimately selected Kalel Companies as the developer and Settlement Housing Fund as the nonprofit partner. The approvals process for rezoning (ULURP) and environmental review will begin in the coming months.
The Grand Concourse redevelopment joins a few other library-plus-housing developments across the city, including Brooklyn’s Sunset Park Library, completed in 2023 and The Eliza Apartments at the Inwood Library, completed in 2024.
The concept has proven wildly popular — at The Eliza, 70,000 families applied for 175 affordable units.
The existing Grand Concourse library, like many NYPL branches, is due for major upgrades. The building dates back to 1959 and “needs a lot of work,” from the heating system to the façade, said Dana Sunshine, NYPL’s senior director of capital and real estate initiatives.
Rather than tackling costly, time-consuming repairs in a piecemeal manner, this project allows for an entire rebuild and upgrade, she said.
Design details are still in the works, but the city has announced that the apartment building will feature bike storage, three outdoor terraces, community rooms, teaching kitchen with programming for tenants, a fitness room and laundry facilities.
The two-story, 17,500-square-foot library will feature several multipurpose rooms, reading areas and updated technology.
The whole building will also become much more environmentally friendly. It is anticipated to be NYPL’s first Passive House-certified library, meaning it will meet a high voluntary standard of energy efficiency. It will also be equipped with an emergency generator, allowing it to serve as a neighborhood cooling center during extreme heat and power outages.
Local residents had the opportunity to provide input on the redesign, according to a report released in January. The city Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) held a community visioning workshop in June 2024 and distributed a questionnaire completed by 270 residents.
Participants indicated they wanted a large building with income guidelines realistic to the community, and they emphasized priority to families with kids, seniors, people with mental disabilities and people using public assistance.
For the new library, respondents said they wanted an emphasis on accessibility, community events, diverse programming, dedicated spaces for children and teens, quiet areas and continuing services during the library closure.
While the project remains in early stages, Sunshine said the NYPL is excited about the benefits it will bring to the Grand Concourse area. NYPL is looking at every one of its sites for potential library-plus-housing expansion, she said. “There seems to be no downside, when you get a brand new library for the community as well as affordable housing.”
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
