CLP-Allegheny Regional Library’s Best Site Is Where It’s

Located Now # 2

I’m Steve Pietzak, 403 Mountain Ave., on the South Side Slopes of Pittsburgh—and was main Reference Librarian at Allegheny Regional Library for 13 years.

Why keep Allegheny Regional Library at its present location?

The OLD Allegheny Building has LOCATION, DESTINATION, SAFETY, ACCESSIBILITY and TRANSPORTATION. The Federal Street site DOESN’T HAVE LOCATION, DESTINATION, SAFETY, ACCESSIBILITY and TRANSPORTATION.

The Old Allegheny Regional Library is the " 1st PUBLICLY SUPPORTED ANDREW CARNEGIE LIBRARY IN THE U.S.," AND SHOULD BE SAVED AND OPERATED AS A PUBLIC LIBRARY.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION—The new proposed FEDERAL Street site is on the way to NOWHERE!

The present location of the Old Allegheny Regional is in the heart of the North Side. It is easily accessible by most communities to the North, South, East, and West. Old Allegheny Accessibility could be greatly increased if Federal Street Closure or East Ohio Street Loop could be opened to vehicular traffic.

The New Proposed Allegheny Library site at 1200 Federal Street will ISOLATE the Library even further than it is now! This new location will NOT BE on the way to anything for most Northsiders.

The New Library Plan is a "Reckless Plan" and will have serious SECURITY ISSUES FOR OUR CHILDREN. This location will ENDANGER OUR CHILDREN and it will CAUSE SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS FOR YOUNG ADULTS.

Transportation lines are further away from the NEW LIBRARY SITE proposal---with only two or three buses on the direct bus line. Other bus-lines are from 2 to 8 blocks away—NOT A CLOSE WALKING DISTANCE ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE CHILDREN OR TEENS ARE OBTAINING OR RETURNING BOOKS.

The "Old Allegheny Library" is on most of the BUS ROUTES, WITHIN 1.2 TO 2 BLOCKS, that Travel North from Pittsburgh—i.e. Manchester, Brighton Heights, Beaver Ave., Troy Hill…

Allegheny County is the "Cradle of Andrew Carnegie Public Libraries," and we should preserve, save and enhance this Library as a "Historical Time Marker" of our rich past.

The OLD ALLEGHENY LIBRARY should be made into a showcase for the City of Pittsburgh--- with the New Heinz Field and PNC Park in close proximity to the Allegheny Library—IT MAKES GOOD BUSINESS SENSE AND HISTORICAL SENSE TO TURN THE LIBRARY INTO A SHOWCASE FOR THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH -- To showcase to the World that we care about our History, our Heritage and our Libraries!

The Old Allegheny Library is a very good, sturdy and grand old Library Building -- and is in good condition for being over 100 years old. The Library was designed and built by Smithmeyer and Pelz, the architects of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

The Carnegie Library should renovate the Old Allegheny Library and should make it a showcase for itself and for the City of Pittsburgh.

Let future generations say that this was "OUR FINEST HOUR"—to save the "1st Publicly supported Andrew Carnegie Library in the United States" as a Public Library.

Sincerely,

Stephen Pietzak

403 Mountain

Pittsburgh, PA 15210

412-481-5660

9/17/ 2006