Hazelwood is a neighborhood divided in two by railroad tracks. This is what is on the same side of the railroad tracks as Hazelwood Green, but on the other side of the black fence surrounding the Uber test track:
Hazelwood in the news:
The Progress Fund Proposes Turning a Former Brewery into a Craft Brewpub Hub (Pittsburgh Business Times, July 31, 2020)
Previous posts in series:
Keeping an Eye on Hazelwood: May 2020
Keeping an Eye on Hazelwood: Introduction
I regret not starting this series on the former Penn Plaza site sooner. I missed opportunities to photograph the former apartments in their neglected, partially occupied state and the demolition of the buildings. Starting with the project several months into construction is a case of better late than never and provides an opportunity to watch how the promise to rebuild the neighborhood park becomes fulfilled.
Penn Plaza in the News
Evictions 2015-2019:
Evictions Highlight Lack of Affordable Housing (City Paper, July 22, 2015)
Residents Meet About Eviction Notices (New Pittsburgh Courier, July 23, 2015)
Evictions Set Standard for Future (WESA, February 29, 2016)
Owners and Displaced Tenants Work out Deal (WTAE, February 29, 2016)
Final Residents Move Out (WESA, March 31, 2017)
Mass Evictions (Downstream, February 15, 2018)
Protesters Call for Action Years After Evictions (KDKA, July 28, 2018)
Dark Stain on the City (Pittsburgh Current, July 30, 2018)
Defining Community (Public Source, September 27, 2019)
Negotiations 2017-2019:
Penn Plaza Support and Action Blog
City, Community, Developer Reach Agreement (WESA, October 27, 2017)
Final Go-Ahead Approved (Post-Gazette, February 12, 2019)
City Seeks Land Swap (WESA, October 4, 2019)
Controversy Continues with Land Swap Proposal (Tribune Review, October 15, 2019)
City Fails to Keep Promises (WESA, October 23, 2019)
City Falling Short on Guarantees (Post-Gazette, October 28, 2019)
Residents Concerned About Park Reconfiguration (Tribune Review, October 28, 2019)
Construction 2019-current:
City Council Clears the Way (WESA, October 29, 2019)
Construction Starts (Pittsburgh Business Times, October 30, 2019)
Groundbreaking Announced for December 2019 (Next Pittsburgh, October 30, 2019)
Hazelwood Green in the News:
Roundhouse Renovation Next For Hazelwood Green (Next Pittsburgh, January 26, 2020)
Locomotive Roundhouse to Host Co-working Space (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 28, 2020)
Tenant Landed for Roundhouse (Pittsburgh Business Times, February 25, 2020)
From Blight to Tech Node? (CoStar, June 3, 2020)
Largest Solar Installation (Next Pittsburgh, June 29, 2020)
Hazelwood Green – Mill 19 Building A Named 2020 Best Project (ENR MidAtlantic, July 29, 2020)
Largest Solar Installation Completed (Solar Power World, August 13, 2020)
Drive-In Arts Festival at Hazelwood Green (Twitter, August 13, 2020)
Previous posts in series:
Lower Hill in the News:
Mayor’s Press Release (May 5, 2020)
Penguins Stop Development (Public Source, May 14, 2020)
Penguins Pull Out (Trib, May 14, 2020)
Penguins Back Out (WPXI, May 15, 2020)
Penguins Cease Redevelopment (Patch, May 15, 2020)
Penguins Halt Lower Hill Development (WESA, May 18, 2020)
Mayor’s Press Release (May 20, 2020)
Mayor Urges URA to Approve Development (Trib, May 20, 2020)
URA Explanation of Community Benefits
URA Board Votes to Move Lower Hill Development Forward (May 21, 2020)
URA Board Approves Development Project (WPXI, May 21, 2020)
Never Mind, Penguins Back In (WTAE, May 21, 2020)
President Trump Tweets about BRT Grant Award (May 29, 2020)
Previous posts in series:
Hazelwood is a neighborhood divided in two by railroad tracks. On one side of the tracks are Hazelwood Green, a residential enclave, and some industrial and commercial uses. Here is a snapshot of the residential enclave and surrounding uses:
Hazelwood in the News:
Post-Gazette Article on proposed new road between Hazelwood and Oakland April 10, 2020
Hazelwood is a neighborhood divided in two by railroad tracks. On one side of the tracks are Hazelwood Green, a residential enclave, and some industrial and commercial uses. This is what is across the tracks:
Second Ave
Hazelwood Ave
Other Sites:
Lower Hill Redevelopment in the news:
October 8, 2019, Post-Gazette: Lacing the skates: Former Civic Arena redevelopment may be ready to roll
October 9, 2019, Post-Gazette: First wave of ex-Civic Arena site redevelopment would add garage, music and maybe money for Hill projects
October 10, 2019, KDKA: Urban Redevelopment Authority To Vote On Civic Arena Site Plans
October 10, 2019, Tribune-Review: Pittsburgh redevelopment authority postpones vote on construction at Civic Arena site
October 18, 2019, Tribune-Review: Pittsburgh authority gives preliminary OK for development of former Civic Arena site
October 18, 2019, WESA: URA Vote Sets the Stage for Lower Hill Development in Spring 2020
October 18, 2019, WPXI: City board green lights former Civic Arena site redevelopment
October 21, 2019, Arena Digest: Civic Arena Redevelopment Plan Moves Forward
Lower Hill Redevelopment project sites:
Sports and Exhibition Authority
Every year, I look forward to the giant, inflatable dragon airing its wings in Beechview. It is the largest decoration in a small yard overflowing with inflatable ghosts and a giant spider, a witch on a broom, lights, pumpkins, and leaves. Many neighborhoods vie for the best and most prolific displays of Christmas lights. If there were a similar contest for Halloween, this modest-sized house with the dragon seems to me the cream of the crop in a neighborhood with a prolific smorgasbord of Halloween lights and decorations.
This year, I discovered a possible competitor for the title in Shadyside along Pittsburgh’s most intact millionaire’s row. On a lawn that is probably bigger than the footprint of the dragon house is an elaborate, customized ghost wedding. Across the street on a slightly smaller lawn, an 8-10 ft high, gleaming, ceramic clown holds court over a multitude of companions (minions?) of similar sinister and expensive cast.
On seeing these displays, my stomach sank. I felt a loss and a disappointment that this neighborhood may steal the crown for best Halloween decorations due to the unfair advantage of having more disposable wealth. I suppose it really comes down to what is the measure for determining the winning neighborhood: quantity, quality, per capita, density, creativity, or exuberance.
Yesterday, while exploring Carrick and the surrounding neighborhoods looking for adaptively reused religious buildings, we took a detour through the Beth Abraham Jewish Cemetery. According to the map we had there were multiple roads through the cemetery. We started on one that went through a section of the cemetery with newer graves and came to a T-intersection with a sign to the right that said Do Not Enter One Way, so we turned left. The road was wide at that point, but went around a sharp bend and quickly narrowed to just barely the width of the car.
This was the original section of the cemetery. The graves were clearly older and were placed head to toe with sides touching. It was the most densely plotted cemetery that I have seen.
Our awe at the density was soon interrupted by the termination of the road we were traveling. Despite my confidence that the map was telling us we could get back to the main road by going straight, that was clearly not an option. Fortunately, there was a side leg of the road right at the point we realized we could go no further. The width of both paths was perhaps a foot wider than the car. My friend who was driving predicted that a 21-point turn would be required to get us out. I think we managed it in 10-points.
Once turned around, we went back the way we came. As we reached the main roads and started down the public road that bisects the cemetery, I realized I had been so distracted by looking around and then directing the u-turn, that I missed my opportunity to take a picture of the old section of the cemetery. Instead, I got some shots of the section to the east of Stewart Ave, which is newer, but almost as dense as the old section.
If you decide to take a trip to this cemetery, I recommend entering through the main gates off of Stewart Ave and pulling off at the wide section of road at the sharp bend. From there, the old section and one of the newer sections are easily accessible by foot, though there may be some steep and uneven portions.
urbantraipsing 