New York Public Library
Also known as: See Also:New York Public Library and Bryant Park
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Why it's listed
Occupying the full block at Fifth Avenue and Forty-second Street, this Manhattan library was designed by Carrère and Hastings and built between 1902 and 1909 on the foundations of the old Croton Reservoir. Its Fifth Avenue portico has six Corinthian columns and three arches, flanked by Edward Clark Potter's stone lions. Inside, the main reading room seats about 800 readers beneath a 50-foot ceiling, and twenty-one specialized reading rooms supplement it. The institution began in 1895, when the Astor, Lenox and Tilden libraries combined to form a reference library, and in 1901 it merged with ten circulation libraries after a gift from Andrew Carnegie. The city agreed to build the structure in 1897, and it opened on May 23, 1911, at a cost of about $9 million. It was recognized for its national role in American education, offering general readers and scholars extensive manuscript, rare book and general collections. The boundary also includes Bryant Park, which forms the library's setting.
Significance in brief: The nomination, made under the theme of Education, treats the library as one of the nation's major libraries and an almost unrivalled center of study and research. It formed in 1895 by consolidating the Astor, Lenox and Tilden libraries, and later merged with ten circulation libraries. The building is also a handsome example of Beaux Arts classicism.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 66000546, listed October 15, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 5th Ave. and 42nd St., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000546 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Carrere and Hastings |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts classicism |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated December 21, 1965 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and essentially unchanged apart from some partitions; occupied and in use as a library. |
| Acreage | 9.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.75351, -73.98299 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 66000546.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7013887
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.