The New York Public Library Extends Lease on its Grand Central Branch

The Library has signed a seven-year extension on the midtown location, opened as a temporary space in 2009


DECEMBER 2—The New York Public Library has signed a seven-year extension to the lease on its Grand Central branch.

Grand Central Library – located at  135 East 46th Street – was originally opened in 2009 as a temporary space for the community when the Library’s nearby 53rd Street branch closed for a full renovation.

The original lease was set to expire at the end of 2015, but Grand Central proved convenient for local residents on Manhattan’s east side, as well as area workers and those commuting through Grand Central Terminal.  For example, patrons often form long lines to score limited slots for children’s programming.

After talks with patrons and local elected officials such as City Councilman Dan Garodnick and State Senator Liz Krueger, the Library decided to extend the lease agreement with the building’s owners, SL Green, for seven more years. The extension – signed on Nov. 5, 2015 – also calls for improvements to the Library’s HVAC system and other repairs.

An event to mark the extension will be held at the branch at 4 p.m. on Dec. 9.

“After hearing the concerns of Grand Central Library patrons, and evaluating our plans for the future, we decided to keep the branch open,” said Library President Tony Marx. “It is wonderful that this branch has become such a beloved part of the community, offering residents free and open access to knowledge, information, and opportunity.”  

"The Grand Central Branch has become a fixture in our community," said Council Member Dan Garodnick. "We are happy that the New York Public Library has doubled down on this branch, and with this commitment, we expect it to only grow in popularity."

"I am thrilled that the Grand Central Library will remain open and available to its diverse universe of patrons,” said State Senator Liz Krueger. “Although it was originally a temporary stop-gap measure, it is clear that this branch has become an integral part of the community, and should continue to serve the neighborhood even after the reopening of the 53rd Street branch. Thank you to the New York Public Library and President Marx for taking action to safeguard this valuable resource."

In Fiscal Year 2015, the Grand Central branch received 186,884 visits, and circulated 250,783 items. It also nearly doubled the number of public programs offered from the year prior, generating program attendance of 11,557.

“I am very excited that the Grand Central Library has become a pillar in the community,” said Genoveve Stowell, Grand Central’s Library Manager. “The decision to renew the lease reflects an understanding of the unique needs that this branch fills. Grand Central represents an intersection between the business patrons that characterize Midtown and those in its marginalized communities. The level of support that we've received has been incredible.”

About The New York Public Library

The New York Public Library is a free provider of education and information for the people of New York and beyond. With 92 locations—including research and branch libraries—throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, the Library offers free materials, computer access, classes, exhibitions, programming and more to everyone from toddlers to scholars, and has seen record numbers of attendance and circulation in recent years. The New York Public Library serves more than 18 million patrons who come through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org. To offer this wide array of free programming, The New York Public Library relies on both public and private funding. Learn more about how to support the Library at nypl.org/support.