Officials have advanced plans to create a new public library along with affordable housing in Peekskill, New York.
Led by The Children’s Village and the Field Library, the development is part of the transformation of the historic Worker’s Comp Building property into a mixed-use building with 22 affordable homes and 11,000 square feet of commercial space.
In addition, the new library will offer expanded educational, cultural, and enrichment opportunities for residents of the new housing and a high-quality learning and study environment for the greater community. Construction on the library is expected to begin in 2026.
“The new library represents an extraordinary opportunity for Peekskill,” said Jamie Marley, chair of The Children’s Village’s board of trustees. “A modern public library, right in the heart of downtown and connected to affordable homes, will bring learning, creativity, and community together under one roof. The enhanced educational and enrichment programming will expand horizons for the Peekskill community, and we are proud to help build a space where young people and families can grow, explore, and succeed.”
Officials noted the housing will include units for former foster-care children.
The Children’s Village is leading a $3 million capital campaign to fund the renovation and build out of the library’s new space. This builds on significant public investment and partnership. In September, New York state Senate majority leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and state Sen. Pete Harckham announced $1 million in funding for the mixed-use project. In June, the Westchester County Legislature announced an investment of $3.4 million to support The Children’s Village purchase and development of the property. Additional support has come from The Lanza Family Foundation, the Frog Rock Foundation, and Empire State Development.
The Peekskill development furthers The Children’s Village commitment to building affordable homes in desirable neighborhoods alongside high-quality educational and workforce development opportunities.
Last year, The Children’s Village and co-developer partners opened The Eliza, a complex with 174 deeply affordable apartments in Manhattan’s Inwood neighborhood; those homes are integrated with a new branch of the New York Public Library, a universal pre-kindergarten classroom space, and an Activities, Culture, and Training Center, featuring a state-of-the-art STEM robotics learning center, a teaching kitchen, performance space, a sensory room, and classrooms designed to meet the evolving needs of youth and families.