City Accepting Development Bids For Inwood Library Replacement

INWOOD, NY — A city project to demolish the Inwood Library and replace it with a mixed-use building is moving forward, as the Department of Housing Preservation and Development has begun accepting development bids for the project.

The city launched its Request for Proposals on the project in late August, according to an HPD press release.

The RFP has a few requirements that all developers seeking to win the contract must adhere to:

• The housing component of the development must be 100 percent below-market rate housing with at least 10 percent of units set aside for formerly homeless households;
• The development must include a New York Public Library branch of equal size to the current library;
• The development must include a 4,000-square-foot universal pre-kindergarten facility with a 1,350-square-foot outdoor play area.

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The city first proposed redeveloping the Inwood Library — located at 4790 Broadway between Dyckman and Academy streets — in January. The proposal has become controversial in the Inwood neighborhood and is a common cause for concern at community board meetings. A group of neighborhood residents formed a coalition called "Save the Inwood Library" and are frequent commenters at community meetings. Citizens Defending Libraries, a group which has opposed similar library developments across the city, has also spoken out against the project.

Despite concerns, local elected officials have thrown their full support behind the project. In the eyes of the politicians, the 100 percent affordable building is a win for the community and a wise use of public land.

"The new Inwood Library will become a symbol for how to best address the needs of our community, combining desperately needed affordable housing, quality education and a beautiful space for minds of all ages to gather," City Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez said in a statement. "All without losing a square foot of space."

The redevelopment of the Inwood Library is part of a larger city plan to guide development in Inwood called the "Inwood NYC 2017 Action Plan."

Some other aspects of the plan include:

• Rezoning Inwood east and west of 10th Avenue;
• A $30 million renovation of Highbridge Park;
• Building a newWorkforce1 Center and legal services office in the neighborhood;
• $1.1 million in grants to Inwood nonprofits through the Neighborhood 360° program;

In total, the city will pledge $42 million in public investments through the action plan, EDC staffers told reporters Thursday. The goals of the plan are to develop and preserve affordable housing, enhance tenant protection, developed the Harlem River waterfront, preserve Inwood's character, invest in neighborhood's infrastructure and support local businesses and jobs, according to a city press release.

"This community-driven plan means creating and preserving affordable housing, improving parks and access to the Harlem River, a new library, roads, schools, job development and vital business districts," Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement.

Photo by Google Maps street view