Hunters Point Library architects sued over building's accessibility issues
NEW YORK - Widely regarded as one of the most stunning public buildings in recent New York history, the Hunters Point Library came with a luxury price tag of $41.5 million.
But weeks after the concrete-and-glass structure opened in Long Island City in 2019, structural flaws were visible.
Mark Christie is founder of the Friends of Queens Library at Hunters Point. He says that, between the architects and city officials, plans for the library went sideways.
"This has become a monument for little men with big egos," he said.
- Previously: After A Decade Of Waiting, Hunters Point Library Opens With Stunning Views Of NYC For Readers
Most consequentially, tiered central areas lack ramps and elevators for people with limited mobility. It's one of the problems named in a lawsuit filed by the city against the building's designer Steven Holl Architects, asking $10 million to fix accessibility failures.
"It clearly violated the architectural designs and requirements that the Americans with Disabilities Act calls for," Dr. Sharon McLennon-Wier said.
She is executive director of the Center for Independence of the Disabled, a group involved in a separate class action suit over the library's design.
"I'm a blind person. Being able to navigate is an issue," she said.
What's more, the city says corner bathroom stalls and rooftop space can't properly accommodate wheelchairs.
Small changes were made, including a relocation of the fiction section away from hard-to-reach tiers. But since people with disabilities still have to wait for help to get a book, McLennon-Wier says true accessibility has not been achieved.
"That's not what we're talking about, true accessibility. They're not independent. They have to depend on someone to give them something," she said.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Steven Holl Architects called the lawsuit "meritless," saying in part, "The city repeatedly signed off on our design and approved every element of the project."
The city declined to comment beyond what's in the lawsuit.
Christie finds fault with both the architects and the city.
"They were working side by side," he said.
He says he and his neighbors followed plans for the library from the beginning and raised questions early on about the current design.
"The fix was already in, and I was told to get over it," he said.
In New York's most diverse borough, advocates say diversity of ability can't be forgotten. They'll continue the fight to ensure that public spaces are available to all.
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