New Rochelle Public Library Announces $1.18 Million in State Funding for Critical Infrastructure Improvements
New York State Senators Shelley Mayer and Nathalia Fernandez and Assemblymembers Steve Otis and Amy Paulin joined leaders of the New Rochelle Public Library on March 3 to celebrate $1,180,544 in total state funding secured by the four legislators to support critical capital improvements to the library’s infrastructure.
The funding will enable several essential projects designed to maintain the safety, comfort, and long-term sustainability of the library’s main building, which serves thousands of residents each year.
As part of this funding, the New Rochelle Public Library was awarded $180,544 in State Aid for Library Construction to replace the theater and entrance roofs and renovate the multi-stack chiller needed to maintain the building’s air conditioning system. These funds are part of the $44 million allocated statewide for public library construction and broadband infrastructure projects in the FY2024–2025 New York State Budget.
In addition, Senators Mayer and Fernandez and Assemblymembers Otis and Paulin each secured $250,000 through the State and Municipal Facilities Grant program, providing $1 million in total funding to support the replacement of the main library building’s roof. The program supports infrastructure improvements for public facilities throughout New York State.
“These investments are essential to maintaining the library as a safe, welcoming, and comfortable space for our community,” said Eugenia Schatoff, Executive Director of the New Rochelle Public Library. “From protecting the integrity of the building’s roof to ensuring that our climate systems operate reliably, these improvements help safeguard a public resource that thousands of residents rely on every year. We are deeply grateful to Senators Mayer and Fernandez and Assemblymembers Otis and Paulin for their continued advocacy and strong support for the New Rochelle Public Library.”
The projects will help protect the library’s building and ensure that its theater, collections, and public spaces remain accessible and comfortable for generations of New Rochelle residents.
The New Rochelle Public Library (NRPL) is a community resource that seeks to improve the life of every citizen in our city. The library offers a comprehensive print and digital collection that includes retrospective and current materials, up-to-date technology for public use, and a wide range of community services and programs tailored to a diverse audience. Chartered in 1894, NRPL is a school-district library with its own operating budget and a Board of Trustees composed of seven elected members. It has served the 81,500 residents of New Rochelle from its Main Library building in the downtown business district since 1979. A smaller branch, located in the park in front of the New Rochelle High School, was restored through a grassroots effort and currently operates as the Huguenot Children’s Library. Learn more at nrpl.org. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @NRPublicLibrary