Transforming Our Medical Research Library of Brooklyn In The HSEB: A New Chapter For Downstate
By Office of the President | Oct 19, 2026
More Space to Learn, Work, and Connect
Thank you to everyone who joined our Town Hall on Thursday. We appreciate your questions and the opportunity to discuss our Medical Research Library Renovation Project, what it will mean for our campus, and how we’ll support our community during construction.
From The Commons to Starbucks Way, Downstate is evolving to offer more welcoming places to study, work, connect, and take a break. The planned renovation of the HSEB Library and surrounding areas builds on those improvements to better serve our students, faculty, and staff.
Plans include enhanced Library study and service areas, quiet spaces to concentrate, spaces for collaboration, and student and faculty support areas. A planned first-floor event space will also provide a place for presentations and campus gatherings. Improvements will extend across the first and second floors and lower level of HSEB.
The accompanying overview includes renderings of the planned spaces, the anticipated timeline, and temporary study locations. From the entrance and common areas to the study and event spaces, the renderings offer a fuller picture of what’s ahead.
The Library is tentatively scheduled to close on Friday, December 18, 2026, with construction beginning in March 2027 and concluding in September 2030. Furniture and equipment installation will follow, with a return to the renovated spaces anticipated in October 2030. Dates may change as work progresses.
We’re excited about these plans, and we recognize that this is a lengthy undertaking that will affect familiar routines. For students who may graduate before the Library reopens, access to study spaces and support during construction is especially important. Faculty and staff will also need clear information about where to find Library resources and services throughout the transition.
Plans provided for 341 study seats across three campus buildings during construction: 134 in the Public Health Academic Building (PHAB), 72 in the Student Activities Building (SAB), and 135 in the Basic Sciences Building (BSB). The Commons also offers 298 seats for a mix of dining, studying, and gathering.
Library staff and services will temporarily relocate to planned spaces on PHAB’s fourth floor and BSB’s sixth floor. Before the closure, we’ll share specific study locations and availability, along with instructions for accessing Library services.
We’ll continue providing updates on construction progress and changes affecting campus access, services, and study spaces.
Thank you for your patience and for being part of the conversation, and please keep sharing your questions and feedback so we can support our community throughout the renovation.