Public library meets housing in Brooklyn

The glass and brick facade of the Sunset Park Library and Apartments is now one of the first things you see as you emerge above ground from the 53rd Street R train subway station in Brooklyn, New York. The eight-story mixed-use building houses the newly renovated Sunset Park library and nearly 50 affordable housing units.  

Two floors of tall glass windows allow sunlight to pour in and naturally illuminate almost every nook and cranny of the library, with six floors of apartments constructed above the community space that feature abundant views of the Statue of Liberty and both the Manhattan and Brooklyn skylines.  

The glass allows the entranceway and ground floor of the library to blend in with the sidewalk, almost serving as an extension of the outside world, an invitation to the community to come in and utilize the facilities.  

Part of the Brooklyn Public Library system, a conglomerate of 60 branches scattered across the borough, the Sunset Park Library is one of the most used in the system based on attendance and circulation. 

Designed by Carol Loewenson, FAIA, of the New York-based firm Mitchell Guirgola Architects, the library’s renovation was completed in November 2023 with the community and the staff in mind in all facets of the project. 

“The staff informed us of everything we did. We listened and figured out the solutions that worked best for the people who would be using the space the most,” said Loewenson. “We made a huge commitment to engage the community and ensure we made the best possible place for the people in the neighborhood. The library is already as busy as it’s ever been.”  

Sunset Park is a working-class neighborhood about 45 minutes from midtown Manhattan via public transit. Recent estimates show that more than 130,000 people live inside its parameters, with a significant Hispanic and Asian population. The library outgrew itsprevious location and nearly doubled in size due to the renovation.  

“Our patrons are thrilled to be in this beautiful space, and we are thrilled to welcome them back and are quite busy already,” said Roxana Benevides, Sunset Park Library’s Branch Manager. “Although we were lucky to work in an interim space while the new library was being built, I think both the community and the staff finally feel like we are home.” 

But the project isn’t just like home for dozens of New Yorkers -- it is home.  

The top six floors of the building include 49 affordable housing units. Nearly all the apartments will rent for between $500 and $1,000 a month, in a neighborhood where rents typically fall between $1,700 and $3,600 a month.  

Completed in 2022, the housing aspect of this project is entirely separate from the library. Those who live in the building enter at a distinct location on the adjacent 51st Street while the library’s entrance is on one of Sunset Park’s major arteries—4th Avenue. This separation intentionally creates a sense of privacy for those who live in the building. 

The selection process for the building was a lottery for low-and moderate-income residents who earn between 30% and 80% of Area Median Income, or $63,490. Half of the apartments are studios and one-bedroom units, and the other half are two- and three-bedroom units, owing to the need for more affordable housing for families. Nine of the units were set aside for formerly homeless households.   

The Sunset Park library has distinct spaces for children, teens, and adults, with the largest teen-specific center in the entire Brooklyn Public Library system that includes multiple meeting rooms, laptop rentals, and a soundproof recording studio. 

There are myriad electrical outlets in the renovated library; prior to the renovation, there were only 12. Additionally, they updated the entire electrical system, HVAC system, and boiler.  

“Natural light was so important to us in this project,” said Loewenson. “We wanted a sense of intimacy throughout, and we think the lighting adds to that.” That natural light is indeed prominent. The large glass windows light up the common area and the entire second floor, which serves as the children’s wing. Even the basement has openings for the light to permeate and fill each discrete space with a soft and warm glow.  

A large staircase with a gentle rise sits as a centerpiece in the middle of the library layout. It connects the three floors and encourages patrons to walk freely between the levels. “Before Dawn,” a monochrome and hyper-detailed mural that depicts a sprawling tree and two owls by New York-born artist Tatiana Arocha, sits alongside the stairs and is visible from the street. “Glimpses of orange between the treetops,” a second mural by Arocha, sits in the library’s entryway.  

Fritzi Bodenheimer, a press officer for Brooklyn Public Library, says the system is deeply proud of how the Sunset Park branch turned out.  

“The role of libraries is changing in the 21st century and we hope that our branches can be leaders of their communities,” she said. “You walk into the Sunset Park Library and it’s obvious that this is great for the people of the neighborhood. This is the center of the community. The librarians know the patrons by their name.”