The Van Cortlandt Village Library will soon have a state-of-the-art facility to call home.
On Monday, July 25, Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., along with Senator Jeff Klein, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and Councilman Andrew Cohen announced that $2 million in new funding had been allocated to relocate the library to a building more than double its current size.
The library, presently located at 3874 Sedgwick Avenue, will be moved to 3882 Cannon Place, just three blocks away.
The Cannon Place property was formally used as a supportive housing facility.
The two-story, nearly 6,000 square-foot building will replace the existing branch, which has been at its original location since 1968.
The new space would also provide useful outdoor areas for its visitors, which could be a great opportunity to keep children and young readers engaged in recreational programs, especially during the summer months.
Currently, the existing location provides just one room and just over 2,000 square feet for its users, making programming for adults, teens and children very difficult, considering the fact that the library’s program attendance has increased by 49 percent in the last five years.
To fund the relocation, each of the local elected official secured $500,000 in capital funding as part of their Fiscal Year 2017 budget allocations.
“I am proud to have partnered with the New York Public and my colleagues in government to help bring a brand-new Van Cortlandt branch library to the residents of the northwest Bronx,” said Diaz, Jr. “The library is one of the most important institutions we have, and this new location will allow for residents of all ages to enjoy an up-to-date, expanded branch library.”
“Libraries are sanctuaries of knowledge and imagination where the public can come to enjoy quiet time with a book in their neighborhood,” said Klein. “The Van Cortlandt branch serves its residents well, but we’re long overdue for an upgraded facility.”
“More than twice the size of the standing library, the new Van Cortlandt branch will begin a new chapter for community engagement and activities and I hope everyone in the area takes advantage of it,” the senator added.
“This library branch serves thousands of individuals in our area and an enhanced facility is greatly needed in our community,” said Daniel Padernacht, chairman of Community Board 8. “We are thankful to our elected officials for setting aside funds for relocation of the this branch to a larger, state of the art facility, in order to provide greater services to our community.”
The borough president’s office did not confirm when the library’s relocation would take place.
