Beneath the bustling surface of Bryant Park in New York City lies a hidden architectural marvel – the Milstein Research Stacks – where BILCO’s custom access door provides a durable and critical emergency egress solution.
The New York Public Library dramatically expanded its research capacity by constructing the Milstein Research Stacks beneath Bryant Park in midtown Manhattan. The multi-phase renovation, completed in 1992, transformed the 10-acre park into a layered public and archival space with seamlessly integrated library infrastructure with 84 miles of shelving. The bunker allows the library to preserve more than four million books and archival materials underneath the park.
Rather than relocating valuable research materials to a distant warehouse across the Hudson River as initially proposed, forward-thinking planners created a far superior solution: a two-story subterranean archive directly connected to the main library building. This underground marvel features an automated rail system that includes 24 small trolleys that deliver requested books to researchers within minutes — a vast improvement over the hours or days that off-site storage would have required. The miniature rail system was implemented in 2016.
At the heart of this hidden library infrastructure is BILCO’s custom-engineered double-leaf floor door, specifically designed to meet emergency egress requirements for a large-scale, below-grade facility. The door’s heavy-duty construction has proven its worth year after year in one of New York City’s most visited urban parks while maintaining flawless functionality. The door is designed to allow for an engraved mounting plate to be placed directly on the door and conceal its emergency egress visibility. The door was also manufactured with BILCO’s engineered lift assistance to overcome the heavy weight of the bronze monument and allow for easy, one-hand operation in an emergency situation.
Virtually unnoticed to park visitors, the BILCO floor door sits flush with the park’s surface, an essential yet unobtrusive component that perfectly balances safety requirements with aesthetic considerations. The Milstein Research Stacks represent one of New York City’s most innovative architectural achievements, seamlessly blending vibrant public space with a critical extension of one of the world’s great libraries, with BILCO’s excellence quietly ensuring safety and accessibility beneath the surface.
Image Courtesy of: BILCO
For more information about commercial products from The BILCO Company, contact them at 1-800-366-6530.
About BILCO
The BILCO Company is now part of Quanex (NYSE: NX), a global, publicly trade manufacturing company serving OEMs in the fenestration, hardware, cabinetry, solar, refrigeration, security, construction and outdoor products market. We are a community of talented employees working together as one source for quality building components. For over 90 years, The BILCO Company has been a building industry pioneer in the design and development of specialty access products. BILCO – an ISO 9001 certified company – offers commercial and residential specialty access products. Its basement access products are available through online retailers and major home improvement centers. For more information, visit www.bilco.com.
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Feature Image Courtesy of: BILCO
