Building of the Day: 10 Grand Army Plaza
Editors note: This post has been updated to include new images. The BOTD is a no-frills look at interesting structures of all types and from all neighborhoods. There will be old, new, important, forgotten, public, private, good and bad. Whatever strikes our fancy. We hope you enjoy. Address: 10 Grand Army Plaza Name: Central Branch,…
Editors note: This post has been updated to include new images.
The BOTD is a no-frills look at interesting structures of all types and from all neighborhoods. There will be old, new, important, forgotten, public, private, good and bad. Whatever strikes our fancy. We hope you enjoy.
Address: 10 Grand Army Plaza
Name: Central Branch, Brooklyn Public Library
Neighborhood: Prospect Heights
Year Built: 1937-1941
Architectural Style: Modern Classical
Architects: Alfred M. Githens and Francis Keally
Landmarked: Yes
Why chosen: The Central Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library is one of Brooklyn’s best Modernist buildings. What many people don’t realize is that this building represents the finished product of a library building begun in 1908. Brooklyn architect Raymond Almirall was commissioned to build a Beaux-Art classical style building that would complement the Arch, the entrance to the park, and the Brooklyn Museum. But in 1913, the funds dried up, leaving a large empty foundation dug, and a west wing on Flatbush Avenue. The uncompleted project sat there for 30 years, until the city got around to resuming the project in 1937. (You think public works projects are slow now?) By this time, Beaux-Arts architecture out, it was the age of sleek, modern, machine age design. A new team of architects, Githens & Keally, were brought in. Confined to the foundations and wall already there, they designed a great library in what is called the Modern Classical style. The Flatbush Ave wing was stripped of its marble sheathing, and worked into the new design. The entrance was redesigned to curve in and welcome visitors. The ornamentation reflects the Art Deco/Moderne sensibility and love of design in relief. The reliefs on either side of the doors were designed by Carl Jennwein, and the bronze screen is by Thomas Hudson Jones. Quotations about seeking knowledge welcome the reader into the library. The cast zinc eagle just inside the entrance once graced the old Brooklyn Eagle Building, razed for Cadman Plaza. Through the doors lies one of the best modernist interiors in NYC, and a great library.
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Blayze didnt you say you were in Architecture school or something? –
(and Schultz too) the library is an entirely different arhitechtural style than Gehry or Meir design (and both of them are different too) – You make these ridiculous comparisons as if there were only too styles of Architecture – ‘old and new’ – there arent so your dumb comparisons are just that (you do realize that in terms of age the library is alot closer to the brownstone era than our current one)
As for the Library – its magnificent
I love this building. I always wondered why there was no subway entrance closer and assumed it had something to do with the subways running deeper here and the splitting of the rail lines. It’s a real shame that there was once an entrance at Mt. Morris Park — that should be a high priority to reopen. I can’t think of any other comparable public building (except maybe the Queens Hall of Science) that is blocks away from the nearest subway.
Love the building – and the library
In the mid to late 70s, the Brooklyn Museum/Eastern Parkway entrance on Underhill Avenue was closed and sealed. The entrance was on the Mount Prospect side of Eastern Parkway and thus a quick walk to the Children’s Library entrance. You can still see the remnants if you look for the unexpected iron fence enclosing a maroon painted area.
The auditorium and the lecture hall are recent addtions to the Central Library.
Since the library is located on the south side of Eastern Parkway and is in CB 9, isn’t it technically in Crown Heights (south) rather than Prospect Heights?
I was not aware that the subway station extends underneath but I know that there is a really nice concert/lecture hall beneath the front terrace. I like the way the library recently put in ramps in the front terrace and made the ramps part of the fountains and landscaping design. It was very well done.
Pearl Harbor happened at the end of 1941. The world nearly fell off a cliff after that. This was the last gasp of cultural grandeur that Brooklyn was going to see for some time.
I love, love, love and admire all aspects of this building. Contrast it with the Richard Meier building across the street and OPP comes up a bit lacking in my opinion.
Where is there a station underneath?
There are subway lines under both Eastern Parkway and Flatbush Avenue – both were built as part of the “Duel Contacts” in the 1910’s – but I’ve never read or seen signs of a subway under or even adjacent to the library
Amazing…I hadn’t known this aspect of the story. I’ve always loved this building.