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Gramercy Library to Close for Three Months of Repairs

 The Epiphany Library will close beginning Aug. 15 and will reopen sometime in November.
Epiphany Library to Close in August
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GRAMERCY — The New York Public Library’s Epiphany branch will close for three months starting Aug. 15 so workers can repair the building’s antiquated infrastructure.

The Epiphany Library, housed in a century-old building at 228 E. 23rd St., will get an upgraded ventilation system and elevator, among other repairs, said Nora Lyons, spokeswoman for the library.

While the library had been planning a renovation for sometime in the future, the repairs became more urgent after workers recently had to shut down the children's section to repair a leaky pipe, Lyons said.

“That’s when we saw that further repairs needed to be made at the branch," Lyons said. "It’s a very old building.”

As workers recently fixed the leak in the children's section, they had to turn off the air conditioner on the second floor and shut down the entire floor to patrons, but the rest of the library remained open, Lyons said. 

“This is necessary,” she said of the upcoming repairs. “We’re going to do some work in the basement, on the elevator and more to ensure the best experience possible at the branch.”

The library will also install a new fire alarm and emergency lighting systems and will upgrade its ventilation system, Lyons said.

The branch is expected to reopen sometime in November, she said.

During the temporary closure, hold requests can be picked up from the Kips Bay Library, located at 446 Third Ave. Other nearby libraries include the Ottendorfer branch at 135 Second Ave. and the Muhlenberg branch at 209 W. 23rd St.