Renovation Diary

August 27, 2012

The demolition and abatement work is finally completely done in the Library. So instead of tearing down we are finally starting to actually build our new infrastructure. Magnificent new air handlers and duct work are going in everywhere in some cases replacing equipment that has been in place since the building opened in 1941.

The slate roof is completely new and the flat roof and chimney work is almost complete. The stone on the building has been repointed where necessary and the masons are starting to build the new courtyard stone walks. Electrical rough in is going on in every area of the building and walls are going up in the exhibition areas. The courtyard is being painted and new windows are being installed in every area of the building.

It is hard to believe in just six months our building will be ready for a brand new permanent museum exhibit to be installed.

The Library is on schedule to open the new permanent exhibition in the summer of 2013.

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About the Renovation

With the exception of two wings added in 1972 in honor of Mrs. Roosevelt, this renovation is the first overhaul of the Roosevelt Library since it was completed in 1941. Preparations for the renovation of the Roosevelt Library began in the winter of 2009. The actual renovation of the Library commenced on May 27, 2010 as Kirchhoff-Consigli Construction Management, LLC (KCCM), Pleasant Valley, NY was given the notice to proceed. The new work carefully preserves the building's historic appearance, while bringing its archives and museum up to the National Archives's standards for the long-term preservation of historic collections. New drainage, plumbing, and roofing systems and new electrical, security, fire protection and other systems will address longstanding facility problems. Museum visitors and researchers will enjoy improved amenities, including, for the first time, full accessibility for people in wheelchairs. The project is expected to run for three years with a budget of $35 million in federal funding. New permanent museum exhibits are being installed with $6 million in private funds raised by the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute.

Research Room

As of Friday, April 26, 2013, the Roosevelt Library successfully returned all of its archival collections to the renovated Library building. All materials that have been stored off-site since 2010 are now back at the
Library and available to researchers. We appreciate the patience of all of our researchers throughout the project.

Museum Exhibits

From May 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013 -- while the permanent galleries are closed for the final stage of the renovation -- visitors will enjoy our exciting new photography and multimedia exhibition, "The Roosevelts: Public Figures, Private Lives."

New Permanent Exhibits

New Permanent Exhibits The first phase of the renovation—completed in December 2011—included new slate roofing, drainage, and plumbing systems, as well as new electrical, security and fire protection systems and adaptations for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance. Phase 2 involves restoration of the historic exterior including masonry walls, sheet metal roofing, windows and doors, and increasing the permanent exhibition space in preparation for extensive new exhibits scheduled to open in late summer 2013. New Permanent Exhibits New state-of-the-art installations on the life and times of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt will tell the story of the Roosevelt presidency from the depths of the Great Depression and continuing through the New Deal years and the Second World War, while also covering their early years and FDR's heroic struggle to regain his strength and political career after polio. Concluding galleries will consider the Roosevelt legacy today and guide visitors through Mrs. Roosevelt's work in the years following the President's death. The exhibit will feature special interactives and immersive audio-visual theaters designed to bring a new deal to a new generation. The redesign and installation of the permanent exhibits is made possible by private funding provided by the Library's private partner, the Roosevelt Institute.