Brooklyn Library Breaks Ground on East New York Site

Construction begins on a 25,000-square-foot library built within African Burial Ground Square in East New York, Brooklyn.

Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in African-American

Photograph of a partially built four-story timber frame rising above a cleared urban lot beneath a tower crane, with brick rowhouses behind. — Brooklyn Public Library broke ground on its New Lots Library in East New York, a four-story building rising within African Burial Ground Square. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Brooklyn Public Library began construction on the New Lots Library redevelopment in East New York, following a ground acknowledgment ceremony held with the Gilbane Building and the East New York African Burial Ground Collective. The four-floor building will sit within African Burial Ground Square, the site of a burial ground established during the 17th century.

Why it matters

The project places a public library directly on the grounds of a historic African burial site whose official designation was secured in 2013, linking community education and heritage preservation. It is also backed by more than $4.5 million in government grants, reflecting public investment in the neighborhood.

The new library building spans 25,000 square feet across four floors and is being overseen by Gilbane Building. The project has received more than $4.5 million in government grants, including $5 million in capital funding from the New York State Council on the Arts, and no completion date was provided.

The players

Brooklyn Public Library

Brooklyn Public Library is the public library system serving Brooklyn, New York, and the developer of the New Lots Library redevelopment.

Gilbane Building

Gilbane Building is a construction firm overseeing the construction of the New Lots Library in East New York.

New York State Council on the Arts

The New York State Council on the Arts is a state agency that funds arts and cultural programs and provided $5 million in capital funding to the project.

The details

The building was designed by Model of Architecture Serving Society and Marble Fairbanks Architects following extensive community engagement, and it will accommodate the New Lots Adult Learning Center. The architectural feature called the palaver is constructed using mass timber.

The African burial ground was established during the 17th century.
The burial ground's official designation was secured in 2013.
The ground acknowledgment ceremony marking construction start was held on November 8, 2026.

Heritage in the City

Like the African Burial Ground in lower Manhattan, whose remains were rediscovered during construction and later designated a national monument, the East New York site shows New York City integrating recovered African American history into public spaces. The project extends that approach by building a working library rather than only a memorial.

For East New York residents, the project adds a four-floor public library with expanded educational and cultural services, including space for the New Lots Adult Learning Center. Once completed, the facility will offer new public programs in the neighborhood.

The takeaway

The project shows how a neighborhood library can be built on top of recovered history, turning a burial site into a place for learning and community use. Residents interested in the project's progress can follow Brooklyn Public Library's public updates as construction proceeds.