BRYANT PARK CATACOMBS

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY ADDED OF 120,000 SQUARE FEET OF LIBRARY STACKS BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE BRYANT PARK LAWN IN 1989. DESIGNED BY THE ARCHITECTURE FIRM DAVIS BRODY AND BOND, A TWO-LEVEL UNDERGROUND STACK EXPANSION WITH A CAPACITY OF 3.5 MILLION VOLUMES WAS BUILT BELOW BRYANT PARK ADJACENT TO THE LIBRARY. REQUIRING A 30-FOOT EXCAVATION IN THE CENTER OF THE PARK, THE FINISHED STACKS PROVIDE NEARLY 40 MILES OF BOOK SHELVES, DOUBLING THE LIBRARY’S STORAGE CAPACITY. THE STACKS ARE CONNECTED TO THE MAIN LIBRARY BY A 62-FOOT-LONG TUNNEL. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A FIRE ESCAPE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE BRYANT PARK LAWN, DISGUISED BY A DEDICATION PLAQUE.