Update, Wednesday, July 1: To alleviate confusion about whether or not public libraries will be open during the holiday weekend, WSR checked with 311, which reported that all NYPL branches, except for the Schwarzman Building at 42nd Street and 5th Avenue, will be closed from Friday, July 3rd through Sunday, July 5th. The are open Wednesday, July 1 and Thursday, July 2nd.
By Gus Saltonstall
Stay cool, Upper West Siders.
On Monday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani activated “an unprecedented, historic Heat Emergency Plan” in preparation for sky-high temperatures set to hit New York City beginning on Tuesday and lasting through July 5.
Here are the daily high temperatures expected over the next handful of days in the city, according to AccuWeather.
- Tuesday, June 30: 89 degrees
- Wednesday, July 1: 95 degrees
- Thursday, July 2: 100 degrees
- Friday, July 3: 100 degrees
- Saturday, July 4: 95 degrees
- Sunday, July 5: 90 degrees
On Wednesday, the real-feel temperatures are expected to reach between 100 and 105 degrees, and on Thursday, that real feel is set to sit between 103 and 108 degrees, according to the city.
“We’re staring down what could be the second hottest day in New York City history in over a decade — and City government is taking historic measures to keep all New Yorkers indoors, cool and safe,” Mamdani said in a news release.
In response to the heat wave, the city is opening up cooling centers throughout the five boroughs, including on the Upper West Side.
A cooling center is a community center-type building that allows members of the public to come in and cool off. Senior centers and libraries make up a large chunk of them, and some centers are only open to older adults.
Importantly, though, according to 311, all NYPL branches, with the exception of the Schwarzman Building at 42nd Street and 5th Avenue, will be closed from Friday, July 3rd through Sunday, July 5th. They are open on Wednesday the 1st and Thursday the 2nd. In any case, reach out directly to specific locations to confirm their hours from Friday through Sunday.
Here are all of the cooling centers in Morningside Heights and on the Upper West Side. These are the locations’ standard hours, but, again, please double check directly for holiday changes.
George Bruce Library: 518 West 125th Street
- Open: Noon to 7 p.m.
Jackie Robinson OAC: 1301 Amsterdam Avenue
- Open: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Older adults only
Morningside Heights Library: 2900 Broadway
- Open: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
ABSW OAC-Older Adult Center: 221 West 107th Street
- Open: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Older adults only
Center at the Red Oak OAC: 135 West 106th Street
- Open: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Older adults only
Frederick Douglass Social Club: 868 Amsterdam Avenue
- Open: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Older adults only
Bloomingdale Library: 150 West 100th Street
- Open: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Goddard Riverside OAC: 593 Columbus Avenue
- Open: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
St. Agnes Library: 444 Amsterdam Avenue
- Open: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
JASA Club 76: 120 West 76th Street
- Older adults only
- Open: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Find Aid Hamilton: 141 West 73rd Street
- Older adults only
- Open: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Riverside Library: 127 Amsterdam Avenue
- Open: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Goddard Riverside LSNC: 250 West 65th Street
- Older adults only
- Open: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Library for the Performing Arts: 40 Lincoln Center Plaza
- Open: 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Find AID Clinton OAC: 530 West 55th Street
- Open: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
You can check out the complete map of cooling centers from the city — HERE.
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To be clear, will these libratues be open Friday and Saturday as coolong centers even though, as per signs in the doors, they are closed as libraries due to the holiday?
Yes. They were ordered to stay open throughout the weekend by the mayor.
this is NOT true. I work at NYPL and only the Schwarzman building is open.
Are these the hours for each location every day – July 3rd through July 5th?
PLEASE NOTE: ALL NYPL branches, with the exception of the Schwarzman Building at 42nd St & 5th Ave will be CLOSED Friday the 3rd, Saturday the 4th, & Sunday the 5th.
Other than the older adult centers what is open when the libraries are closed for 3 days?
The last time we had a brown out the libraries did not have AC. We took a crosstown bus to Petco on 87th and Lexington. It was easier to get on the bus than wander around in the heat. The website notes that one should always call ahead before going to any of the cooling centers.
Remember the olden days when you could pay for one movie and sneak in to others? I’d give that a try. You’ll be able to see on your phone which seats haven’t sold and if you go in agter the movie starts it shouldn’t be a problem
At $20-30 for a single movie, there’s no bargain there.
Thanks for including Goddard! Our Cooling Center hours are actually expanded:
Goddard Headquarters
593 Columbus (and West 88th Street)
7/1- 8am-7pm
7/2- 8am-7pm
7/3- 10am-6pm
7/4- 10am-6pm
7/5- 10am-6pm
Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center
250 West 65th Street (near West End Avenue)
7/1- 8am-7pm
7/2- 8am-7pm
7/3- 10am-6pm
7/4- 10am-6pm
7/5- 10am-6pm
It would be very helpful if you’d indicate the cross streets of the avenue addresses and avenue crossings for the street addresses for folks who are looking for cooling centers. Thanks for publishing this list.
Look at the list. Cross-streets included.
Check on your neighbors, folks! Heat absolutely can kill the elderly, particularly those without a/c or unwilling to run it because of the cost.
Note that many city Petcos are serving as cooling centers for those with pets. The new one in Union Square even has some window seats that appear to have “crates” incorporated into the seat for your pet to retreat to. (Haven’t tried this out personally myself, though.)
Depending on your exact financial situation and location, you might consider getting a Regal Unlimited 3-month subscription. It’s around $80 up front but then you can watch movies literally all day, whenever they’re open, and three months will (hopefully!!!) cover the whole summer. If you book tickets at the theater rather than online, there are no additional charges/fees at all. Many of them have seating areas, too. (AMC has a similar deal but caps the number of films you can see in a week, whereas with Regal you can keep booking and booking at the in-theater kiosks.)
Good suggestions, thank you. Unfortunately none of the options work for the nighttime.
Petco in Union Square is open til 9 pm, the Regals are usually showing through about midnight on weekdays, a little later on weekends, though schedules will vary. I know that’s no help for the actual getting to sleep part, though–I myself find it hard to sleep when it’s much above 65 (I leave the heat off most nights in winter), so very sympathetic to that.