800 Words

‍One of the pleasures of growing up in New York City is acquiring an appreciation for varying styles of architecture. The Chrysler Building and its Art Deco style unmistakably represents the era of the Machine Age. In Lower Manhattan, the Little Singer Building, with its ornamental red detailing on the facade and the curvatures of the iron balconies, exemplifies Art Nouveau. The boldness and intense form of concrete at the Guggenheim Museum illustrate the significant features of Brutalism. In Tribeca, the Woolworth Building calls out for the elegance of the Gothic Revival design. ‍‍ ‍

But one building captures my heart and reminds me of home whenever I see it: the main branch of the New York Public Library (and that pair of lions) which has been watching over Fifth Avenue between 40th and 42nd streets since 1911. A masterpiece in the Beaux-Arts tradition designed by John Merven Carrere and Thomas Hastings.‍‍ ‍

Beaux-Arts architecture is a building style named after the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where this popular late 19th and early 20th century architectural style was taught. Carrere and Hastings had been students at the École in the 1880’s. Beaux-Arts buildings are based on the symmetry and proportions of Roman and Greek classicism but combined with French and Italian Renaissance and Baroque influences. This became a favorite architectural style for government and institutional buildings.[1]‍ ‍

What you may not know about the library and its prominent location is what lies beneath it. A story that fascinates, illuminates, and charms.‍‍ ‍

On May 23, 1895, the New York Public Library was officially created to “establish and maintain a free public library and reading room in the City of New York.” Dr. John Shaw Billings, the library’s first director, knew exactly what he wanted: a majestic structure with an enormous reading room (297 ft long, 78 ft wide, and 51 ft tall). Carrere and Hastings designed such a room supported by seven stories of steel shelving holding the original collection of books and manuscripts. The steel itself was US Steel, a donation from Andrew Carnegie, and stamped with his name. ‍‍

The site on Fifth Avenue was originally a Potter’s Field and later the Croton Reservoir, or Murray Hill Reservoir.  This enormous above ground basin was built in the mid-19th century with granite walls over 50 feet high. It served as a very important part of New York’s early water infrastructure. Millions of gallons of water were received daily via the Croton Aqueduct. Designed by James Renwick in Egyptian Revival style, it became both an engineering marvel and tourist attraction. Residents of the city could stroll on the walkways high above the street and take in the marvelous views of the ever-growing metropolis.‍‍

Demolition of the reservoir began in 1900 with over 500 workers spending two years dismantling and preparing the site. The cornerstone for the library was finally laid in place on November 10, 1902.‍‍ ‍

In the following years, work progressed slowly and would cost at the time a staggering $9 million dollars to complete. The summer of 1905 saw the huge columns put into place at the entrance as well as initial work on the expansive roof.  At the end of 1906, the roof being finished, work commenced on the interior of the building, which took another five years to complete. In 1910, 75 miles of shelves were installed to house the immense collections.‍‍ ‍

More than one million books were set in place for the official dedication of the Library - exactly sixteen years after the historic agreement creating the Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations had been signed. The ceremony was presided over by President William Howard Taft and was attended by Governor John Alden Dix and Mayor William J. Gaynor.[2]‍ ‍

The following morning, the Library officially opened its doors. The response was overwhelming! An estimated 30,000 to 50,000 visitors streamed through the building on that Wednesday. The first book requested from the main stacks was Delia Bacon’s Philosophy of the Plays of Shakespeare Unfolded, which was not in the catalog until a staff member donated the book two days afterwards. The first book delivered was Nravstvennye idealy nashego vremeni (Moral ideas of our time: Friedrich Nietzsche and Leo Tolstoy) by Nikolai I. Grot, requested just eight minutes after the building opened and handed to the visitor just six minutes later.‍‍ ‍

Portions of the Croton Reservoir’s original brickwork remained hidden for almost a century until the South Court Building was constructed in 2002. The library’s leadership decided that they would display and celebrate the foundation and the history of the original spot. Today, one can see the wall made of the rocks of the Croton Reservoir. In their wisdom, the creators of the New York Public Library used the foundation of the old reservoir as the underpinning for this remarkable and magnificent building which is often referred to as “a reservoir of knowledge”.‍‍

[1] www.thespruce.com/beaux-arts-architecture-4846172

[2] www.nypl.org/about/history

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