The Jefferson Market Branch of the New York Public Library, once known as the Jefferson Market Courthouse, is a National Historic Landmark located at 425 Avenue of the Americas (Sixth Avenue), on the southwest corner of West 10th Street, in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City, on a triangular plot formed by Greenwich Avenue and West 10th Street. It was originally built as the Third Judicial District Courthouse from 1874 to 1877, and was designed by architect Frederick Clarke Withers of the firm of Vaux and Withers.

Though faced with demolition in 1958, public outcry led to its reuse as a branch of the New York Public Library. The building is now part of the New York City Landmark Preservation Commission's Greenwich Village Historic District, created in 1969. In addition, the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 Withers came from the same background as Vaux, its future was uncertain, and it was in danger of being torn down. A group of community preservationists led by Margot Gayle and Ruth Wittenberg formed the Committee of Neighbors to Get the Clock on Jefferson Market Courthouse Started and campaigned to have the building converted into a library. In 1961, the New York Public Library agreed to the plan and architect Giorgio Cavaglieri was brought in to restore the exterior The library opened in 1967, Budget cutbacks in 1974 caused the Board of Trustees of the New York Public Library to vote to close the branch, as well as two others.

The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977, both under the name "Third Judicial District Courthouse".

The building received further restoration in 1994 by preservationist architect Joseph Pell Lombardi.

There are annual tours of the tower, typically during Open House New York weekend in October.

thumb|The main entrance to the Jefferson Market Library

By 2012 the building's exterior was once again in need of restoration, deteriorated ornaments were re-sculpted from the original Ohio sandstone. The tower's railings and finial were repaired and resecured. Missing and broken slates were replaced on the slate roof and a new copper drainage system installed. Brick and stone were re-pointed and cleaned. SUPERSTRUCTURES Engineers + Architects led the restoration. The owners and project team were honored by the New York Landmarks Conservancy with its Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award in 2014.

The building had further improvements in 2019 to bring it in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. It reopened in July 2022.

The library manager is Frank Collerius who also presents the New York Public Library's podcast The Librarian Is In.

See also

  • List of National Historic Landmarks in New York City
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Manhattan below 14th Street

References

Notes

  • at NYC Architecture
  • <nowiki>http://www.nylandmarks.org/events/moses_awards/the_24th_lucy_g._moses_preservation_awards/ New York Landmarks Conservancy</nowiki>]
  • The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation