New York Daily News: Citizens Defending Libraries Ask deBlasio To “Help Pay” BPL’s $300 Million Repair Bill

By on April 8, 2014 12:13 pm in Brooklyn Heights, Government, Real Estate

Brooklyn Heights based Citizens Defending Libraries will hold a rally tonight (4/8) at 5pm in front of the Brooklyn Public Library’s main branch at Grand Army Plaza. On the docket, the NY Daily News reports, is a request that Mayor deBlasio find a way to help the system with its $300 million dollar repair bill — including $3.5 million for fixing the Brooklyn Heights branch’s air conditioning. The sale of that library to developers is a key part of BPL’s plan to dig out of debt. CDL opposes the sale and the current mayor voiced his opposition while campaigning last year.

NYDN: The building — whose sale requires City Council approval — needs more than $9.2 million in repairs, including $3.5 million for a new air conditioning system, officials said.
The location has long been a money pit. New records reveal the library spent $366,351 in repairs at the branch since 2009. That includes $47,360 on in-house staff, $117,731 on outside contractors and $201,260 on maintenance contracts.

Share this Story:

, , ,

  • marshasrimler

    i totally oppose the sale of public assists and continue to work on finding solutions to this problem. I have issues with Michael and Carolyn as they run CDL with an iron hand and do not allow opinions other than their own and have refused to have a steering committee. Is Michael White running for something soon? Is that why he is a publicity hound? If so he also needs to be transparent

  • Justine Swartz

    Thanks for posting the notice of a rally to save the libraries the day after it happens.

  • BrooklynBugle

    That would be a great point had that been the case. The post was published yesterday at noon, the rally was at 5pm last night.

    If you are subscriber to the BHB newsletter, you receive all posts from the previous 24 hours as of 4am. That would likely be the source of your confusion.

  • Justine Swartz

    My favorite newsletter is BHB. I depend on it for up-to-date, on time information. I am confused as to why the information was not posted in a timely matter in the newsletter on the day of the rally or posted before the day of the rally, in order to help us save our libraries.

  • BrooklynBugle

    Allow us to reiterate:
    “If you are subscriber to the BHB newsletter, you receive all posts from
    the previous 24 hours as of 4am. That would likely be the source of your
    confusion.”

    BHB is a “blog” accessible 24/7 via “the internet” at http://brooklynheightsblog.com . The newsletter is an adjunct service that aggregates that previous 24 hours of content that was published IN REAL TIME ON THE SITE.

    Headlines from BHB are also available in REAL time via “RSS” , “Twitter” (@bkheightsblog, @brooklynbugle) .

    So to be crystal clear, as soon as we had the information (CDL did not contact us directly, we say the NYDN piece and reblogged) we posted — 5 hours before the rally.

    Thanks.

    /nrn

  • Justine Swartz

    Thank you.