The building, an ornate pile of red brick in Manhattan's East Village, was built by Multimillionaire John Jacob Astor to house New York's first public library. It has been designated a federal landmark and, except when the janitor's dog naps on the front steps, its outward aspect is as staid as old money. Inside, however, the atmosphere combines elements of a happening, a commune and a scene from The Time of Your Life. Bicycles wheel through the stately old lobby. Plays are being rehearsed. Youths in jeans scurry around with portfolios. Music echoes...
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