East New Orleans Regional Library to reopen today
Marking a major milestone in the slow-to-launch resurrection of eastern New Orleans, city and community leaders this afternoon will officially open the East New Orleans Regional Library. In the heart of the sprawling suburban-style community, the $7.6 million facility will connect to nearby Joe Brown Park via a walking path now under construction, creating a cohesive destination for residents of dozens of nearby neighborhoods.
Courtesy of City Hall, Nearly seven years after Hurricane Katrina, the East New Orleans Regional Library reopens today.
Located at 5641 Read Blvd., the new, 27,000 square-foot library sits near the entrance to Joe Brown Park on the site of the former library, which was razed after Hurricane Katrina. Designed by Gould Evans Affiliates and built by Gibbs Construction, visitors can gaze out giant glass walls at two ancient live oaks in one direction and the park in the other. Other features include a courtyard, modern furniture and lower shelf heights. An entrance on the park side will offer after-hours access to a meeting room that can accommodate up to 300 people. The unleased commercial space on the southeast corner also has its own entrance. East New Orleans is the fourth city library to reopen in the past month. The others are Rosa F. Keller Library and Center in Broadmoor, Norman Mayer Library in Gentilly and Robert E. Smith Library in Lakeview.
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- By Michelle Krupa, The Times-Picayune
