Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Hunters Point library besieged with delays
From the LIC Post:
The Hunters Point Library will not open until the summer of 2019 as the project continues to be besieged by construction delays.
The city agency in charge of overseeing the construction estimates that the library will be completed by the end of the year, with the Queens Library taking an additional three to six months to get it ready for opening.
The 22,000-square foot library, which has been under construction since 2015, was expected to open in the first half of 2017. However, between the complex design and issues with the general contractor it continues to be behind schedule.
The major source of the delays can be attributed to the performance of the general contractor, Triton Structural, according to Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer. “The contractor has essentially defaulted on the project.”
15 comments:
I didn't even know that people still go to the library.
Sounds like the check to Jimmy bounced and now he's calling them out.
SMART PEOPLE GO.
Back in 2007 I worked as a porter for one of the TF Cornerstone (formerly Rockrose Development) buildings on center blvd. There werent as many buildings up yet but the big buzz at the time was this public library. It was going to be state of the art like nothing ever seen before in the city. Its been 11 years since and still nothing. I dont know whats worse our city government or the incompetency of developers.
I hope they aren't wasting space on 'stacks'. They should have personal sitting space and computer access. That is all they really need.
Sounds like what happened to the Kew Gardens Hills library branch renovation. What was supposed to take a year took THREE years of having no local library and having to spend time and gas driving to more distant branches. And then we got a library which was obviously finished quickly, after having idle construction machinery parked on the lot for years. Who installs light colored carpeting on a floor which will have numerous baby carriages running over it? Took about a week to get filthy. The library shelves, instead of being dignified wood, are Home Depot grey steel shelving. No decorations to speak of. This rush-rush-get it done project has all the charm of a stockroom. The renovated library is about 18 months open now, and the a/c already died on one occasion, "treating" library patrons to a Zumba class blasting music during library hours because they had to keep the room's door open. What the hell is a Zumba class doing in a library during daytime hours?
Every project is over budget and every project takes twice as long as planned and every project is built with shoddy materials and is in a best pedestrian taste.
That is what you get when decisions are made by Machine hacks of limited horizons and wits but with unlimited loyalty crowd out those that are capable and dedicated.
The bums will just have wait for their new hangout to be finished.
That library is so over designed for these hipsters it's unbelievable.
It looks like a museum, this is what's wrong with the city. So much waste!!!!
The Ridgewood library is destroyed also.
They threw out all the beautiful Bavarian woodwork and books.
I walked in and saw nothing but sheet rock walls, computers with kids playing games. Oh---and old guys looking at Craigslist and some kind of foreign pornography .
--So much for my 1973 JHS 93 yearbook :(
I think this city is finished for good, so much irreversible damage has happened!!
Who the hell would approve a book filled library next to a flood zone?
Why of course. Jimmy Van Bramer. Glad to see being associated with the library has taught him common sense, but then, that Queens institution is pretty much like other Queens institution. Even the library is infected with the same mentality that seems to taint everything else in the borough.
Its called 'Queens Values' eh Jimmy?
>Sounds like what happened to the Kew Gardens Hills library branch renovation. What was supposed to take a year took THREE years of having no local library and having to spend time and gas driving to more distant branches.
The branch was relocated to practically across the street. It was small and cramped and ugly, but it was there and it was bustling.
And driving to another branch? The huge Flushing branch and the main (Merrick) branch of the Queens library are both short, no transfer needed bus rides away.
Also, I think the new library looks nifty. The bright colors need to be cleaned frequently (they already repainted the front stairs once) but they're super-cheerful.
Agree about the ugly metal shelves and lack of decoration, tho.
"Agree about the ugly metal shelves and lack of decoration, tho."
Wonder who pocketed those funds. Better ask the Library Board (snicker)
How many people on that board have 'Education' in their background, and we don't mean the tiresome garbage that one learns lounging around in those political clubhouses either.
The Queens Library should be merged into that professional organization across the East River.
>Wonder who pocketed those funds. Better ask the Library Board (snicker)
The KGH library took forever because of contract fuckery from Galante. He tried to screw over the construction company by altering the contract after the fact, and after various back and forths by lawyers, the company was forced to finish it but took their sweet time as revenge.
Again, the insiders on the board were able to divert attention to Galante, when THEY hired him, THEY supervised him, THEY approved his budget.
Galante was THEIR boy - and THEIR fall guy. Wonder how much of late fees were used to shut him up.
NYPL should have taken the library over then. The Queens media did everything they could to hide the real culprits, so now we are stuck with the same BS over and over again.
Post a Comment