Donnell Library Center (New York City, New York)

 library, historical layer / disappeared object

The Donnell Library Center was a branch of the New York City Library at 20 West 53rd Street just north of Rockefeller Center, designed by Aymar Embury, II and Edgar I. Williams. It closed as of August 30, 2008. The library was famous for housing the collection of the original Winnie-the-Pooh dolls including Pooh's friends Kanga, Eeyore, Tigger and Piglet behind bulletproof glass in a display in the Children’s Reading Room.

The branch also had the largest New York Public Library circulating collection of materials in languages other than English. It also featured the largest collection in the library system of magazines, hardcover, paperback and recorded books for seventh through twelfth grades in the balcony Nathan Straus Young Adult Center. The auditorium in the basement offered concerts and other cultural events.

In November 2007 Orient-Express Hotels Ltd. which owns the 21 Club directly south of the library announced an agreement to raze the library and replace it with an 11-story hotel. The Library, which would be relocated during the building phase from 2009 to 2011 would then occupy the first floor and two subterranean floors in the new structure and would have a separate entrance from the hotel.

The library was vacated in the summer of 2008. In March 2009, Orient Express announced it was backing out of the agreement. In October 2011 demolition began on the building after Orient sold the building to Tribeca Associates and Starwood Hotels which plans to erect a $400 million hotel/condo complex with a library which is contractually to open by June 30, 2014.

www.flickr.com/photos/nycandre/7393643070/
www.nytimes.com/2009/08/16/realestate/16scapes.html