July 27, 2026

Douglaston-Little Neck Library Breaks Ground

A man speaks at a podium at a Queens Public Library event, with two large posters of library images on display. People are seated in the audience, and a person is taking a photo.

Douglaston-Little Neck Library has broken ground!

Designed by BKSK in collaboration with the NYC Department of Design and Construction and Queens Public Library, the new 12,000-square-foot library will reimagine the neighborhood branch as a welcoming, light-filled community destination.

The three-level library nearly doubles the existing public space with dedicated areas for adults, teens, and children, expanded indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, and a new streetscape presence that strengthens its connection to the surrounding neighborhood. Large expanses of glass maximize daylight throughout the building, while gardens and terraces extend library programming outdoors.

The new library will also feature a permanent public art installation commissioned through the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs‘s Percent for Art program. Artis Misha Kahn’s “A Bit of Everything” draws inspiration from his childhood visits to his local public library, celebrating libraries as places of imagination, learning, and community. Suspended within a stainless-steel framework, the installation will feature a collection of distinctive forms inspired by the Douglaston-Little Neck neighborhood, including dumpling-shaped elements referencing the area’s Asian communities, boulder figures inspired by the Matinecock tribe, and train track motifs reflecting the Long Island Rail Road. Together, the artwork embodies the way libraries bring people, ideas, and stories together while inviting endless opportunities for discovery.

Sustainability is central to the design, with an all-electric mechanical system, green roof, rooftop solar panels, high-performance building envelope, enhanced air filtration, and daylighting strategies supporting the project’s anticipated LEED Gold certification. Construction is expected to be completed in Summer 2030.

A huge thank you to everyone involved in the project; QPL President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott, NYC DDC Commissioner Paul A. Ochoa, Congressman Tom Suozzi, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards; State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Assemblyman Ed Braunstein, Councilwoman Vickie Paladino, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, Cultural Affairs Commissioner Diya Vij, and Community Board 11 District Manager Joseph Marziliano.

Read more about the groundbreaking!

A diverse group of people in safety vests and helmets pose with shovels at a groundbreaking ceremony outside a brick building, with a pile of soil in front of them and a banner in the background.

A modern, two-story building with large windows and greenery on the roof, labeled Queens Public Library, with people walking and sitting outside on a sunny day.

Front entrance of Queens Public Library with glass doors, large sign above, and a colorful abstract mural inside. Green plants and paved walkway are in the foreground.

 

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