At the Water’s Edge: Resiliency for Lower Manhattan - New York - 12:30 PM, Friday, 25th September 2026 - New York City’s identity as a global capital of finance and culture is rooted in its origins as a seaport. At the epicenter of over 520 miles of waterfront is Lower Manhattan, where the city started over 400 years ago with the arrival of the Dutch.  Since then, the boundary of where land meets the water has changed – in some cases dramatically. Learn from experts what is at risk and what is being done to protect Lower Manhattan from tidal flooding and coastal storms, and to ensure that all New Yorkers continue to have access to the jobs, subways, and infrastructure that thrive in this central hub. With 19 of 28 subway lines, 512,000 riders per day and 10% of all jobs in NYC, resulting in $74 billion in annual GDP (8% of the City’s total), downtown is indispensable to New York’s future.  A range of current resiliency initiatives will be reviewed, including East Side Coastal Resiliency, Lower Manhattan Coastal Protection, and Battery Park City flood protection and water management systems. Discussions will also include how changes at NOAA, FEMA and the insurance sector may impact response and recovery to the next climate event, and its impact on the real estate and financial markets.Following the symposium, experts from the NYC Economic Development Corporation, Battery Park City Authority, and The Battery Conservancy will conduct a tour of completed and on-going resiliency work at Battery Park. Speakers:Alexander Mirescu, PhD, Head, Extreme Weather, Zurich Resilience SolutionsPatrick Geelan, North/West Project Director, Battery Park City AuthorityPaula Recart, President, The Battery ConservancyAlexis Taylor, Vice President for Climate Resilience, NYC Economic Development CorporationMolly Bourne, RLA,  FASLA, Principal, Mathews Nielsen Landscape ArchitectsModerator: Raju Mann, President and CEO, Battery Park City Authority

How the New York Public Library Began - 1895 - In the 1930s, Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia dulbed the twin marble tons guarding the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue Patience and Fortitude. By any standard they would qualify as emblematic of a great cultural resource. But Michael Miscione, the Manhattan borough historian, has suggested something less photogenic but more transformative: Samuel J. Tilden's will. His bequest to establish and maintain a free public library in the city served, Miscione says, “to solidify the city's commitment to literacy, culture and a public-private partnership that enabled New York City to create so many world-class cultural institutions.”Tilden, the son of a patent medicine manufacturer, was a successful corporate lawyer, shrewd investor, political reformer, and anti-slavery Free Soil Democrat who would battle the abuses of Tammany Hall. He was elected governor of New York and in the disputed 1876 presidential campaign against Rutherford B. Hayes won a majority of the popular vote but lost the Electoral College (by one vote). "I can retire to public life." Tilden said, “with the consciousness that I shall receive from posterity the credit of having been elected to the highest position in the gift of the people, without any of the cares and responsibilities of the office.”New York had lots of libraries at the end of the nineteenth century, but most charged admission and were privately funded. Tilden left about $2.4 million (almost $100 million in today's dollars), the bulk of his fortune, to "establish and maintain a free library and reading room in the city of New York." The Tilden Trust was merged with the Astor (founded by John Jacob Astor, from his furtrading fortune and presided over by Washington Irving) and Lenox (founded by the bibliophile James Lenox) libraries in 1895 to form the New York Public Library. The consolidation- orchestrated by John Bigelow, a lawyer for the Tilden Trust-was hailed, according to the library's official history, as "an unprecedented example of private philanthropy for the public good." Six years later, Andrew Carnegie agreed to donate more than $5 million to establish sixty-five branch libraries under the proviso that they be maintained by the city government. (Brooklyn and Queens are served by separate library systems.)The New York Public Library's $9 million central research library, designed by Carrère and Hastings, opened in 1911 at Fifth Avenue and West Forty-Second Street on the site of the old Croton Distributing Reservoir. At the time, the beaux arts building was the largest marble structure in the United States. The original collection contained more than a million volumes; today it includes more than fifty million books and other items stored on-site, in stacks under Bryant Park and in a warehouse in Princeton, New Jersey. The New York Public is the second-largest public library in the United States (after the Library of Congress) and the world's third-largest. The central research branch has been featured in numerous films, notably Breakfast at Tiffany's, You're a Big Boy Now, and Ghostbusters, and in books, including The Rise of David Levinsky. Tilden never lost faith. Referring to his 1876 defeat, his epitaph reads: “I Still Trust in The People.”TEXT FROM SAM ROBERTS 101 OBJECTS

New York Public Library, Manhattan Central Branch - 1911 - The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, commonly known as the Main Branch or the New York Public Library, is the flagship building in the New York Public Library system and a landmark in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The branch, one of four research libraries in the library system, contains nine separate divisions. The structure contains four stories open to the public. The main entrance steps are at Fifth Avenue at its intersection with East 41st Street. As of 2015, the branch contains an estimated 2.5 million volumes in its stacks. 
 Exhibition space just behind the lobby. another exibition space on the third floor-- of the collection of prints and rare manuscripts

New York Public Library - 53rd Street Branch - 2016 - Embedded within a neighborhood dense with high-end retail, luxury residences, and blue-chip institutions and offices, this 28,000 square foot branch library fulfills a much-needed role as a public space and a touchstone for the local community and visiting tourists. TEN Arquitectos' design transforms the dark, subterranean space into an inviting, open and light-filled civic landscape in the heart of Manhattan. Inside, the innovative use of modest materials creates a rich palette of texture and expression. The interior rear wall, squarely framed by the clear facade, will be a changing canvas for artwork commissioned from young artists, creating a dialogue with the established art world of the Museum of Modern Art across the street. The book collection is structured to encourage greater interaction among individuals, between the user and the library itself, while establishing new connections between the library, books, technology, and art. The building as a whole seeks to act as a platform for change, exchange, and--through its collections of resources, most notably, human resources--to elevate individuals and the collective alike. Complementing its cultural neighbors on 53rd street, the NYPL will act as a dynamic space to host lectures, films, and live performances even after hours.

The New York Public Library, Battery Park City Branch - 2010 - This 10,500-square-foot library, which occupies the bottom two floors of a residential highrise development in Battery Park City, was commissioned to meet the needs of a new and rapidly growing community. As a new branch without an ingrained pattern of community use, it was critical for the design to establish a presence that would attract visitors. Open, bright spaces create a welcoming environment for the public, while the design of book and periodical displays, information desks, and furniture facilitates the most efficient circulation. The folded planes of the ceiling guide the visitor`s eye through the library and acts as a physical and visual unifier for the entire space. The most eco-friendly of the New York Public Library branches, the project utilizes numerous sustainable design strategies and is LEED Gold certified.

NYPL Seward Park Library Branch - 1886 - The Seward Park Branch of The New York Public Library is one of 65 branches erected with funds given to New York City by Andrew Carnegie. Its origins can be traced to 1886, when the Aguilar Free Library Society opened several libraries, including what would become the Seward Park Branch. In its early days, the Seward Park Branch served an immigrant Jewish population. Today, the community is home to a mixture of Jews, Hispanics, African Americans, and an ever-increasing Asian population. The building houses adult, young adult, and reference collections on the first floor; a children's room on the second floor; and a literacy center on the third floor.

NYPL Hamilton Grange Branch - 1905 - The NYPL Hamilton Grange Branch features an African-American Heritage collection and a large selection of materials in Spanish.

NYPL Fort Washington Branch Children's Room - At Fort Washington, the children's room occupied the upper story of an historic Carnegie branch library. The room was grand but over scaled for its diminutive audience. The original casework at the perimeter had charm but was in poor condition. The circulation desk -- a large corral of sorts -- was no longer needed and had become more of an obstacle within the space. Finishes were tired and lighting in the 18' high space was inadequate.

Hunters Point Community Library - 2019 - Library with adult reading collection, children's area, teen area, cybercenter, conference room and outdoor amphitheater.Located on a prominent site along the East River, against the backdrop of rapidly built skyscraper condominiums, the 22,000 square foot Queens Public Library at Hunters Point stands as a public building and public park, bringing community-devoted space to the Long Island City waterfront. Resisting recent trends of incorporating public libraries and much-needed social space within high-end residential towers, the Hunters Point Library stands independently, rising with a minimal footprint on its 32,000 square foot site to offer maximum surrounding green space to the local community and becoming an integrated part of the vibrant public park that lines the river`s edge. The vertical structure reimagines the traditional library model, providing diversity of spaces from intimate reading areas to active gathering spaces. The building`s aluminum-painted concrete shell is not just a facade but a load-bearing structure, which omits curtain walls and columns. Sculpted cuts are carved out of the facade, showing the movement of people within and framing expansive views of the Manhattan skyline. The program's separation into children's area, teen area, and adult area can be read in the sculpted cuts of the east face of the building, one facade opening for each area; yet the programmatic divisions are fluid. Inside, warm bamboo creates an inviting social space, open to the community and offering engaging spaces for all ages. Natural light enters through the large windows from all sides, animating the space.

Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library - 1970 - The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library, formerly known as the Mid-Manhattan Library, is a branch of the New York Public Library at the southeast corner of 40th Street and Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is diagonally across from the NYPL's Main Branch and Bryant Park, which are to the northwest. The Library has space for 400,000 volumes across a basement and seven above-ground stories. Its design includes 11,000 square feet of event space and 1,500 seats for library users. The Mid-Manhattan Library opened in 1970 to house the circulating collection formerly located in the NYPL's Main Branch. The branch moved to its current building, a former Arnold Constable & Company department store, in 1981. After a failed attempt to close the Mid-Manhattan Library in the 2010s, the NYPL announced a major renovation of the branch in 2014. Between 2017 and 2020, the branch was closed for renovations funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, and the library was renamed after the foundation.

New York Historical - Museum & Library - 1804 - The museum houses 1.6 million objects including a large collection of historical artifacts and works by the Hudson River School painters and John Audobon's 435 watercolors of birds. The library contains over 3 million books and other printed materials. 

Brooklyn Public Library, Central Branch - 1896 - The Central Library is the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, located at Flatbush Avenue and Eastern Parkway on Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn, New York City. It contains over a million cataloged books, magazines, and multimedia materials. Each year, over one million people visit the library.The 352,000 square foot building contains the S. Stevan Dweck Center for Contemporary Culture, a 189-seat auditorium that opened in 2007 and hosts lectures, readings, musical performances, and other events for people of all ages. The library's plaza, renovated during the construction of the Dweck Center, hosts concerts throughout the summer and has become a favorite outdoor destination for free wireless internet access.The Central Library's local history division, The Brooklyn Collection, holds over a million individual items including photographs, maps, manuscripts, Brooklyn Dodgers memorabilia and other ephemeral items.Groundbreaking for a Brooklyn central library on Prospect Park Plaza (now Grand Army Plaza) occurred in 1912. The original architect Raymond Almirall had designed a domed, four-story Beaux-Arts building, similar in style to the adjacent Brooklyn Museum. Because of World War I and the Great Depression, Almirall's building was never completed except for the Flatbush Avenue wing, which was finished in 1929.In the 1930s, architects Githens and Keally were commissioned to redesign the building in the Art Deco style, eliminating the expensive ornamentation and the fourth floor. Almirall's building on Flatbush Avenue was largely demolished except for the frame, but some of the original facade along the library's parking lot is still visible.

Touro College 23rd Street Library - The Touro Library is located in the historic Castro Building, a structure that typifies the bustling, youthful neighborhood it calls home, the land-marked 23rd Street District in Manhattan. Gruzen Samton • IBI Group provided architectural and interior design services for the 10,000-sf library facility, which occupies an entire floor and spans the block from 23rd Street north to 24th Street. The library provides definition to the existing space that Touro occupies within the building, serving as a central study and social area. Several small classrooms, administrative and study spaces were included with library stacks, computer stations and media rooms. Our design reflects the space`s unique features. Abundant natural light, exposed high ceilings, handsome wood floors, and a historic half-round window create a loftlike, contemporary atmosphere that also incorporates more traditional collegiate design.

Elmer Holmes Bobst Library, NYU - 1965 - The Bobst Pixel Veil addresses dual design challenges: the creation of a secure yet visually porous membrane that is aesthetically compatible with the atrium designed by Philip Johnson in 1968. The Pixel Veil consists of laser-cut aluminum panels and vertical supports painted to match the existing bronze handrail. Each laser-cut panel is inscribed with a perforated pattern - the Pixel Matrix - composed using an underlying 4” grid whose spacing aligns with the vertical stanchions of the original railings while also complying with ADA building codes. Responding to the surrounding context, modular perforations gradually dissolve along the atrium perimeter from south to north, becoming visually more open towards the stacks and park. At the top level, the perforated veil terminates in a glass clerestory. The Pixel Matrix builds on the affinity between the original building and the language of digital information - both rely on the logic of the square matrix. Pixel Matrix references the building’s underlying square grid that Johnson expressed in the square coffered ceiling and concentric square reading lights, as well as the language of digital information that encrypts data through bar codes composed of square modules.

Hispanic Society Museum and Library - 1928 - The Hispanic Society of America operates a museum and reference library for the study of the arts and cultures of Spain and Portugal and their former colonies in Latin America, the Spanish East Indies, and Portuguese India. Despite the name, it has never functioned as a learned society.The Hispanic Society of America is a free museum and reference library. In 2007 the Dia Art foundation began a collaboration with the Hispanic Society to hold temporary exhibitions there.

Columbia University Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library - 1890 - Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, located in Avery Hall at Columbia University, is one of the world’s largest libraries devoted to architecture and the fine arts. Founded in 1890 as a memorial to architect Henry Ogden Avery, the library began with his collection of about 2,000 books and drawings and has grown to more than 400,000 volumes. Its extensive collections span architecture, art history, historic preservation, urban planning, archaeology, and related fields, including rare architectural works dating from the 15th century. Highlights include Alberti’s De re aedificatoria, works by Piranesi, and important publications by Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier.