The Hamilton Fish Park Library at 415 East Houston Street is open again. The New York Public Library has welcomed patrons back to the Lower East Side branch after a large-scale renovation that touched nearly every part of the building, from the front door to the wiring in the walls.

The branch sits on the edge of Hamilton Fish Park, near Pitt Street, and it is the neighborhood's own library for a stretch of the Lower East Side that runs toward the East River.

What changed inside

The library lists the improvements on its branch page: a new entrance that meets ADA accessibility standards, work on the facade, new furnishings and finishes throughout, new book collections, new spaces set aside for children and for teens, and upgraded technology.

The city's capital project record for the branch fills in the rest. The renovation replaced the heating and cooling system, rebuilt the entryway, and reconfigured the interior with new windows, lighting, finishes, fixtures and furniture. It also upgraded the building's power and data lines, the part of a renovation nobody sees and everybody notices when the Wi-Fi works.

What it cost

The project was city funded. The capital record shows $17,795,390 for the renovation itself and a further $1,188,000 for the initial outfitting: the furniture, the new collection and the equipment a branch needs on its first day back. Together that comes to roughly $19 million.

Hours this week

The branch posts these hours for the week ahead:

  • Monday, Nov. 9: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Nov. 10: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Nov. 11: closed for Veterans Day
  • Thursday, Nov. 12: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Friday, Nov. 13: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Saturday, Nov. 14: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Sunday: closed

The first program on the calendar

The branch has already put a free program on its calendar: a screening of the film The Exiles on Monday, Nov. 16, at 5:30 p.m. Sign-ups for branch event updates are on the library's page for the location.

Who it is named for

Like the park next door, the branch carries the name of Hamilton Fish (1808 to 1893), who served as governor of New York and later as secretary of state under President Ulysses S. Grant.

How to go

The library is at 415 East Houston Street, New York, NY 10002. The M21 bus runs along Houston Street, and the F, J, M and Z trains stop at Delancey Street and Essex Street, about a ten-minute walk away. The branch phone is 212-673-2290 and its email is hamiltonfishpark@nypl.org.

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