East Meadow Public Library
East Meadow Public Library
Project Information
East Meadow Public Library
East Meadow, NY
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Renovation
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Transformation
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New Construction
The East Meadow Public Library has served the community in its current location since 1959. The original Building was expanded in 1963 and again in 1984. The 34,000 sf building became chaotic in its organization, making it difficult to navigate and manage. The large central interior spaces were dull, with limited access to natural light or outdoor awareness. In addition, the building systems (light fixtures and HVAC) were antiquated and in need of replacement.
In 2016, a $15M bond referendum was approved to transform the library and better serve the community's current and future needs. The new design created an open, orderly floor plan for patrons and library staff. This was accomplished by locating partitions along the existing building's structural grid. Large glazed openings were placed in these partitions to maximize transparency within the library. Six 15'x15' roof monitors were distributed within the structural grid to introduce natural light deep within the library and reinforce the organization of the new plan. New energy constructed to create additional needed space. The wing contains a stepped-floor community room with 244 fixed seats, an art gallery adjacent to the community room, an open stair connecting the basement to the first floor, and a variety of other support spaces.
In addition to the complete renovation of the 34,000 sf building, the site was also completely redesigned. Improvements were made to vehicular flow and parking layout. Islands in the parking lot were planted to reduce heat island effect and LED site was installed. Two new outdoor social spaces were created: a south facing entry plaza and a 3,200 sf reading courtyard.