Save Hazelwood Library !

Welcome to "Save Hazelwood Library"

Hazelwood Branch of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Hazelwood Branch Building, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Dedicated: 1900 August 15
A City-Designated Historic Structure

Photo Album *** Additional Information

Facebook Group Page for the Greater Hazelwood Historical Society, which plans rehabilitation of the historic Carnegie Library, Hazelwood Branch.


Annual News Updates for 2004 December:
Buhl Planetarium and Carnegie Library


Frankel, Boaz. "6 fun facts about the Steel City that you may not know."
"THE BIRTH OF BINGO."
Column: Back to School Series.
Very Local Pittsburgh 2020 Sept. 11. First retrieved 2020 Sept. 15.
Photo: JaQuay Edward Carter stands in front of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood Branch. Courtesy of JaQuay Edward Carter.

Bauder, Bob. "Efforts underway to preserve and reuse former Carnegie Library in Hazelwood."
TribLive.com: Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh 2019 Dec. 29. First retrieved 2020 Jan. 1.

Holden, Mike. "Pittsburgh Redevelopment Authority eyeing transformation of 'hidden gem' in Hazelwood." Television Report.
WPXI-TV 11, Pittsburgh 2019 Sept. 18. 1st retrieved 2019 Sept. 19.
The PRA is trying to find someone to transform the old Hazelwood branch of the Carnegie Library into a fresh, new space.

Belko, Mark. "A plot twist: URA seeks proposals to redevelop historic Hazelwood library."
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 2019 Sept. 17. 1st retrieved 2019 Sept. 18.
Regarding the original building of the historic Hazelwood Branch, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

Cook, Brian. "Greater Hazelwood Historical Society Keeps Eye On The Past While Neighborhood Builds For The Future."
Radio Series Feature: 90.5 WESA Celebrates 90 Neighbohoods, 90 Good Stories.
WESA-FM 90.5, Pittsburgh 2019 Feb. 6.
Although there is no physical space for the Hazelwood Historical Society at the moment, the renovation of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's Hazelwood Branch, built in 1899 will serve as the offices that also serve as a museum filled with artifacts for people to visit.

Leffew, Jake. "Historian Promotes Neighborhood's Past, Uncertain Future.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette / Associated Press / U.S. News & World Report 2018 June 16.
With help from the Heinz Foundations, the Greater Hazelwood Historical Society plans to occupy the original Carnegie Library of Hazelwood on Monongahela Street. Mr. Carter remembers well running around that same building as a child, and he wants its restoration to be a sign of hope for the community. He is also planning to write an "Images of America" series book on Hazelwood's history since 1925.

Leffew, Jake. "Young historian promotes Hazelwood's industrial past, weighs uncertain future.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette /2018 June 11.
With help from the Heinz Foundations, the Greater Hazelwood Historical Society plans to occupy the original Carnegie Library of Hazelwood on Monongahela Street. Mr. Carter remembers well running around that same building as a child, and he wants its restoration to be a sign of hope for the community. He is also planning to write an "Images of America" series book on Hazelwood's history since 1925.

"Investor buys 18 Hazelwood properties near potential Amazon site."
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 2018 Jan. 26.

Walsh, Glenn A. "City Council Approves Legal Transfer of Historic Hazelwood Library to URA." Blog-Post.
LibraryWatchtower 2016 Sept. 26.
Regarding proposed sale, by the City of Pittsburgh, of the historic Hazelwood Branch building of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, which was the first Carnegie Library neighborhood branch system.

Walsh, Glenn A. "City Council Preliminarily Approves Sale of Historic Hazelwood Library." Blog-Post.
LibraryWatchtower 2016 Sept. 15.
Regarding proposed sale, by the City of Pittsburgh, of the historic Hazelwood Branch building of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, which was the first Carnegie Library neighborhood branch system.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Historic Hazelwood Library Public Hearing." Blog-Post.
LibraryWatchtower 2016 Sept. 13.
Regarding proposed sale, by the City of Pittsburgh, of the historic Hazelwood Branch building of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, which was the first Carnegie Library neighborhood branch system.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Proposed Sale of Historic Hazelwood Library: Public Hearing Thursday." Blog-Post.
LibraryWatchtower 2016 Sept. 5.
Regarding proposed sale, by the City of Pittsburgh, of the historic Hazelwood Branch building of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, which was the first Carnegie Library neighborhood branch system.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Keep Historic Hazelwood Library as City Property." Blog-Post.
LibraryWatchtower 2016 Aug. 18.

Walsh, Glenn A. "Statement before the Council of the City of Pittsburgh: Proposed Sale of Historic Hazelwood Branch Bldg., Carnegie Library." Public Statement.
Pittsburgh City Council 2016 July 20.
The City should seek reuse of the Hazelwood Library building the same way it sought reuse of the historic Buhl Planetarium building in 2002---by long-term lease. This way, the City retains control of the historic structure for the benefit of city residents.

Bauder, Bob. "Pittsburgh moving to sell properties to promote development."
Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh 2016 July 12.
Proposed sale of original Carnegie Library, Hazelwood Branch, from City of Pittsburgh to Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh for one dollar, for future redevelopment.

Belko, Mark. "Pittsburgh looks to join development boom in its own backyard."
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 2016 July 12.
Proposed sale of original Carnegie Library, Hazelwood Branch, from City of Pittsburgh to Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh for one dollar, for future redevelopment. The former tow pound will be among city properties in the Strip District, Downtown, Uptown and Hazelwood marketed for redevelopment in a bid to take advantage of the building boom sweeping across parts of Pittsburgh.
Mayor Bill Peduto plans to introduce legislation before City Council today to sell the 12 parcels — from the former pound to the long-vacant Hazelwood Library — to the Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority for $1 each. [Bill No. 2016-0614]
The URA will then have the properties appraised and meet with the affected neighborhoods to discuss possible reuses before marketing them for redevelopment.
Kevin Acklin, chief of staff for Mr. Peduto and URA board chairman, said one goal is to return the properties to the tax rolls to generate income for the city. In addition, 80 percent of the proceeds from the sales will be placed in a facilities maintenance fund, which will be used to upgrade other city-owned real estate.
The decision to sell the properties is an outgrowth of an ongoing review of all city facilities, Mr. Acklin said. The ones selected were deemed by the administration as “best conveyed to the URA for private development.”
In doing so, he noted, the administration hopes to capitalize on some of the market attraction that’s happened in the city.
Also on the list is the former Hazelwood Library at 4748 Monongahela St., which city Councilman Corey O’Connor has been seeking to redevelop. Mr. O’Connor said he supports the transfer of the property to the URA for a sale.
“This will speed it up and then we can have a community conversation about it, which is a good thing,” he said.
Mr. O’Connor said there has been some interest in the building, which is less than three blocks from the former LTV Coke Works site that is targeted for a major mixed-use redevelopment. Artists and event planners have looked at the old library, he said.
Robert Rubinstein, URA acting executive director, said the 12 properties likely will be marketed for redevelopment on a staggered basis rather than all at once.
The goal not only is to maximize the economic benefit, but to find development that fits in with the neighborhood, he said.
“We think there’s going to be pretty strong interest” in all of them, he said.
The URA board will vote Friday on whether to acquire the properties, pending council approval. It also will vote on a cooperation agreement that would return 80 percent of the sale proceeds to the city.

Smydo, Joe. "Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh opens new Hazelwood branch."
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette On-Line 2014 June 21.
The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh abandoned the original and historic Hazelwood Branch Library, which includes a 250-seat auditorium and opened in 1900, in March of 2004.

Bauder, Bob. "Charities, leaders join to bring grocery to Hazelwood residents."
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 2013 June 2.
The grocery store would complement other imminent development in Hazelwood, including the 178-acre former LTV Steel plant site and a former church that Action-Housing is renovating for a Carnegie Library branch and offices...
Action-Housing raised $220,000 to buy and renovate the former Hazelwood Presbyterian Church, which sits across the street from the grocery store, and hopes to have it ready for tenants next year.
“It's going to be the library on the upper floor and office space for nonprofits on the lower floor,” said Lena Andrews, planning and development specialist for Action-Housing.
Carnegie Library spokeswoman Suzanne Thinnes said the existing library branch would move from its current location above a laundromat on Second Avenue.
“We would have a larger space for the library, which would include a meeting room, and it would provide greater opportunity not only for books and resource material, but also programming for children, teens and adults,” Thinnes said.

Ramirez, Chris. "Preservationists group wants to attract buyers to Hazelwood's historic buildings."
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 2010 April 4.

Thomas, Mary Ann. "Libraries fulfilled Andrew Carnegie's vision."
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 2010 Feb. 7.

Nelson Jones, Diana. "Come one, come all (updated with new event)." Blog: City Walkabout.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette On-Line 2010 Feb. 4.
Regarding programs seeking public ideas for reuse of two historic Carnegie Library buildings, in the Pittsburgh neighborhoods of Hazelwood and North Side (original Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny).

Walsh, Glenn A, "Sell-Off Historic Library Building ?" Address.
Pittsburgh City Council 2009 Dec. 8.
Regarding proposal of the City of Pittsburgh to sell-off original building of the Hazelwood Branch, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
See also news article.

Brandolph, Adam. "Mayor carves out aggressive budget."
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 2009 Dec. 4.
Includes sale of historic Hazelwood Branch, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh,
one of the earliest neighborhood branch libraries opened by Andrew Carnegie (in 1900):
"The mayor's new budget includes $500,000 in revenue from the sale of buildings, including
an abandoned fire station in Point Breeze, the old Hazelwood Library and several
recreation and senior centers that have been closed for years, Kunka said."
See also public statement.

* 2007 Dec. 24 - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Future of historical buildings precarious
By Craig Smith
But the price of restoration is high.
The cost of a historical preservation of the Woods home has been estimated at $600,000. Just to make it liveable would cost $200,000, Richter said. A century-old Carnegie library (historic Hazelwood Branch) down the street needs $900,000 in repairs.

* 2007 April 10 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Hanging on in Hazelwood
Neighborhood's hope for revival stunted by plans for expressway

By Diana Nelson Jones

* 2006 Dec. 12 - Statement of Glenn A. Walsh Before Pittsburgh City Council, Regarding Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Request for Additional City Funds in 2007: Prepared Text * Large-Print Version
Statement also talks about Carnegie Library's abandonment of the historic Hazelwood Branch Library and proposed abandonment of historic Allegheny Regional Branch Library.

Public Statement - 2004 November 23:
Statement of Glenn A. Walsh before Pittsburgh City Council,
Regarding Collection Needs of, and Discards By
The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Prepared Statement *** Large-Print Version

Public Statement [Impromptu] - 2004 November 1:
Statement of Glenn A. Walsh before Pittsburgh City Council,
Regarding Proclamation Presented by City Council to
Retiring Carnegie Library Director Herb Elish --
Points Covered in Impromptu Statement

***

Notice - 2004 October 26:
New Grass-roots Organization for
Preservation of Historic Carnegie Libraries

< http://www.carnegielibraries.info > or

< http://www.carnegielibraries.net >

***

News Release - 2004 July 14:
PITTSBURGH CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES
HISTORIC DESIGNATION OF FIVE CARNEGIE LIBRARIES

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette On-Line, Pittsburgh - 2004 July 7:
Council favors historic status for 5 libraries By Timothy McNulty

Public Statements - 2004 June 30
In Public Hearings Before Pittsburgh City Council
Supporting Proposed Historic Designations of
Five Original Carnegie Library Buildings:

Hazelwood Branch Library *** Homewood Branch Library *** Lawrenceville Branch Library

Mt. Washington Branch Library *** West End Branch Library

News Release - 2004 June 22:
PUBLIC HEARINGS ON HISTORIC DESIGNATION OF FIVE LIBRARIES,
INCLUDING HISTORIC HAZELWOOD LIBRARY BUILDING,
BEFORE PITTSBURGH CITY COUNCIL JUNE 30

News Release - 2004 May 3:
HISTORIC HAZELWOOD LIBRARY BLDG. NAMED TO TOP-TEN
BEST HISTORIC PRESERVATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR 2004
DESIGNATED NO. 4 IN TOP-TEN

Public Statement - 2004 March 16:
Statement of Glenn A. Walsh before Pittsburgh City Council:
Closing of Historic Hazelwood Library Building
Carnegie Library Should Rehabilitate Historic Building and
Return Library to Historic Building, at End of Temporary 5-Year Lease

SPECIAL NOTICE - 2004 March 10:
PERMANENT CLOSURE-HAZELWOOD LIBRARY BLDG: SAT 5 PM
LAST CHANCE TO SEE, AND PHOTOGRAPH, THIS HISTORIC LIBRARY BUILDING

This web site is used to coordinate the efforts of the residents of the Hazelwood neighborhood, in the City of Pittsburgh, and other lovers of libraries in an effort to prevent the abandonment of the historic Hazelwood Branch of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

For many years, Hazelwood was the home to a major steel mill of the Jones and Laughlin Steel Corporation. In the 1980s, "J&L" merged with Cleveland-based LTV Steel Corporation. In the mid-1990s, LTV went into bankruptcy and closed the Hazelwood mill and adjacent coke plant.

Hazelwood has one of the original branch library buildings, donated by Andrew Carnegie on 1900 August 15. Andrew Carnegie considered neighborhood branch libraries to be as important, if not more important, than a city's Main Branch library. So, two valuable features included with this neighborhood branch library were a 250-seat auditorium and a beautiful stained-glass dome above the library's original oak circulation desk at the Library entrance.

The management of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has proposed moving the Hazelwood Branch Library from the original building into a second-floor rental unit, above a laundramat and a deli which sells beer, three blocks away. The original building would be boarded-up and abandoned, in hopes that some reuse could be found sometime in the future.

However, if the building stays abandoned too long [as several other buildings in the neighborhood are also abandoned and vacant, along with many vacant lots], it may deteriorate to the point where it would be too expensive to be reused. This happened with the former Lawrence Paint Building, which was located across West Carson Street from the Lower Station of The Duquesne Incline, before it was demolished a few years ago.

The majority of residents of the Hazelwood neighborhood oppose moving the library out of the historic building. We now seek to convince Carnegie Library and City officials [the historic library building is owned by the City of Pittsburgh] that another abandoned building is not in the best interests of Hazelwood.

Click here for more details regarding the proposed abandonment of the historic Hazelwood Branch Library.

Click here to read the latest news regarding efforts to save the historic Hazelwood Branch Library.

For historic Hazelwood Library news archives:

A.D. 2004 *** A.D. 2003

Click here to see other photographs of the historic Hazelwood Branch Library.


Annual News Updates for 2004 December:
Buhl Planetarium and Carnegie Library

Annual News Updates for 2003 December:
Buhl Planetarium and Carnegie Library


For additional information --

Electronic Mail: < savehazelwoodlibrary@andrewcarnegie.cc >

Telephone: 412-561-7876

U.S. Mail:

Save Hazelwood Library
P.O. Box 1041
Pittsburgh PA 15230-1041
U.S.A.