Proposed Sale of Historic Hazelwood Library: Public Hearing Thursday

Ornamental dome skylight over the circulation desk of the historic Hazelwood
Branch building of Carnegie Library, which opened to the public in 1900.
(Image Source: History of Andrew Carnegie and Carnegie Libraries Internet Web Site;
Photographer: Lynne S. Walsh)

By Glenn A. Walsh

Reporting for LibraryWatchtower

In July, the City of Pittsburgh proposed selling the historic Hazelwood Branch Library building of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh to the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA) for $1, in preparation for sale to a third party for redevelopment.

Last month, long-time city activist David Tessitor, who founded the Pittsburgh Free-Net Internet web portal < http://pghfree.net/ > in 2004 (immediately after The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh abandoned their Three Rivers Free-Net), successfully petitioned for a public hearing before Pittsburgh City Council, regarding this proposed sale. This public hearing will occur this-coming Thursday Afternoon, 2016 September 8 at 2:00 p.m. EDT, in the Council Chamber of Pittsburgh City Council – located on the 5^th floor of the City-County Building, at 414 Grant Street in Downtown Pittsburgh.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh had abandoned the historic Hazelwood Library building, in favor of a down-sized library branch on the second floor of a new retail building, on 2004 March 13. On 2004 July 14, the historic Hazelwood Library branch building, along with four other historic library branches (West End, Mount Washington, Lawrenceville, and Homewood), received a unanimous vote from the Pittsburgh City Council naming each of these five buildings as a "City-Designated Historic Structure," after receiving the nomination for this designation by the late Walter Kidney of the the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation.

Should a sale of the historic Hazelwood Library building occur, the people of Pittsburgh, and particularly the people in the Hazelwood neighborhood, will no longer have any influence in the use, or disuse, of this historic property. This building includes a large auditorium, which has been used for community events for more than a century.

City residents, and particularly residents of the Hazelwood neighborhood, are encouraged to attend and speak before City Council at this public hearing, regarding this important issue. Any member of the public can speak for three minutes, at this public hearing. It would be best to register ahead of time to speak at this public hearing, by telephoning the Pittsburgh City Clerk's office at 412-255-2138, during normal business hours.

Personally appearing and speaking, before City Council at this public hearing, would be the best way to register your opposition to the proposed sale of the historic Hazelwood Library building. However, if for any reason you cannot appear and speak at this public hearing, you can write a short electronic mail message and send the message to me, Glenn A. Walsh, at the following address:

                                          < gawalsh@andrewcarnegie.cc >.

At the public hearing, I will submit to City Council any and all e-mail messages I receive, in opposition to the sale of the historic Hazelwood Library building.

The following is the official City notice of this public hearing:

Public Hearing Schedule

Bill Nos. 2016-0614 & 2016-0663 Cooperation Agreement & Petition, City-owned properties sold to URA

Thursday, September 8th, 2016 - 2:00 pm

2016-0614 Resolution authorizing the Mayor and the Director of the Department of Finance to execute  a quit claim deed or deeds,  and any other necessary or appropriate documents, agreements, and instruments conveying AS IS all of the City’s right, title and interest, if any, in designated City-owned properties to the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (“URA”) for consideration of $1.00 each, contingent upon the Mayor and Director of the Department of Finance first entering into a Cooperation Agreement or Agreements with the URA setting forth the rights and obligations of the City and the URA relating to these initial conveyances and further setting forth the rights and obligations of the City and the URA relating to the subsequent disposition of these properties to third parties. (CABLECAST)

2016-0663 Petition from the residents of the City of Pittsburgh requesting a Public Hearing before City Council relative to Bill No. 2016-0614 as it relates to legislation conveying City-owned properties to the URA. The Petition is valid in accordance with the Home Rule Charter. (CABLECAST)

Internet Links to Additional Information ---

Bill Number 2016-0614, which proposes to sell historic Hazelwood Library building to URA for $1:
Link >>> https://pittsburgh.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2778755&GUID=3E19B1D7-201D-4C90-B125-623971E58534

Hazelwood Library Photo Album:
Link >>> http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/photoalbumCLP-branches.htm#hazel

Save Hazewood Library: Link >>> http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/hazelwood/

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.

Pittsburgh Free-Net: Link >>> http://pghfree.net/

Related Blog Posts ---

"Historic Hazelwood Library Public Hearing." 2016 Sept. 13.

(Includes public statement of Glenn A. Walsh before Pittsburgh City Council)

Link >>> http://librarywatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/09/historic-hazelwood-library-public.html

 

"Keep Historic Hazelwood Library as City Property." 2016 Aug. 18.

(Includes public statement of Glenn A. Walsh before Pittsburgh City Council)

Link >>> http://librarywatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/08/keep-historic-hazelwood-library-as-city.html

Source: Glenn A. Walsh Reporting for LibraryWatchtower.

             2016 Sept. 5.


                                                              
        2016: 75th Year of Pittsburgh's Buhl Planetarium Observatory
     Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/01/astronomical-calendar-2016-january.html

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gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, LibraryWatchtower Editor / Author:
< http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/weblog/spacewatchtower/gaw/ >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@andrewcarnegie.cc >
Twitter Feed: < https://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
LibraryWatchtower Blog: < http://librarywatchtower.blogspot.com >
SpaceWatchtower Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
South Hills Backyard Astronomers Blog: < http://shbastronomers.blogspot.com/ >
Barnestormin Blog: Writing, Essays, Pgh. News, etc.: < http://www.barnestormin.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
  < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* West End Branch, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh:
< http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/cfl.html#westend >
* Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall, Carnegie PA:
< http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
  < http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
  < http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
  < http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
  < http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
  < http://inclinedplane.tripod.com >
* Public Transit:
  < http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >