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Newly renovated Third Floor of Hoboken Public Library’s Historic Main Building Unveiled

Here are photos from our ribbon cutting ceremony commemorating the $7 million third floor historic restoration and HVAC improvement project.  With grant support from the New Jersey Historic Trust, the project delivered a gorgeously restored children’s room, a large, dedicated teen room, a new story time/ program room, Hoboken’s inaugural free, public MakerSpace, and whole building HVAC upgrades.

Founded by Martha Bayard Stevens over 130 years ago as a dual-mission manual training school and library, the Hoboken Public Library has grown and evolved to meet the needs of a changing urban population but with a firm foundation on its formative history of education and public service. One thing remains constant and unchanged: that we are free, open and welcome to all.

Check out the recording of all remarks and photos on Hoboken Public Library‘s Facebook page, and at Clarke Caton Hintz.  Local coverage of the ribbon cutting: https://www.tapinto.net/…/newly-renovated-third-floor…

Read what the Jersey Journal
wrote about the renovation, and view the photo gallery

Ribbon cutting ceremony with the city, congressional, state, library and community leaders, from left to right: Hoboken Public Library Friends & Foundation, Ravi Bhalla, Mayor of Hoboken, Joe Quintero Hoboken City Councilman At Large, Michael Russo, Phil Cohen, Hoboken's 5th Ward Councilman, Clarke Caton Hintz, Emily Jabbour, Hoboken City Council President, Rep. Rob Menendez, U.S. Congressman.
Library board of trustees. From left to right: Damian DeBenedetto, Amanda R. Blaney, Kurt Thoens, Treasurer, Jerome Abernathy, President, Mayor Ravi Bhalla, Jennie Pu, Library Director, Jason Freeman, Mayor's Representative, Raakhee Mirchandani, Jack Silbert, JoAnn Serrano, Susan Murcko, Secretary.
Aerial view of Hoboken Public Library cupola and new heating/ cooling units on the roof. Manhattan skyline in background.
Much of the project was building wide HVAC improvements, with much of the duct work meticulously installed in the attic of the library.
The restored children's room, with new pressed tin ceilings, historic light fixtures, new floors, restored pocket doors and windows and all new flexible shelving and furniture.
Newly enlarged and restored teen room.
Newly restored and cleaned stained glass, rear stairwell.
New, permanent makerspace opened in what was formerly the carving room of the manual training school.
Quiet reading nook in the children's room.
HPL Friends and Foundation, instrumental in making possible so many of the library's programs over the decades, provided financial support for the restoration of the children's room.

Updated 7/16/2026 – MS