The New York Public Library has abandoned its $300 million plan to revamp its flagship midtown Manhattan building and move 1.5 million books to New Jersey.
Library president Tony Marx said Wednesday that library officials and New York City officials are discussing possible alternatives. A statement from Marx doesn't detail the reasons for the change of plans.
The plan involved closing and selling two midtown branch libraries. Their functions would have been consolidated inside the main research library at 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue.
To make room, 1.5 million books would have been moved from stacks in the Fifth Avenue building to storage in New Jersey.
Scholars complained that moving the books would have created hardships for researchers.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
