Archive for February 19th, 2009

By Mary Niederberger
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Allegheny County Council President Rich Fitzgerald came to the Carnegie Library of Homestead yesterday bearing a significant gift — a $150,000 check from the county Department of Economic Development.

The funds came from a Community Development Block Grant and will be used to begin infrastructure improvements in preparation for the installation of an elevator that will make all three floors of the library, built in 1898, accessible to the disabled, said Library Board President Dan Lloyd. The library is still seeking funding for the elevator.

The grant was the second major gift recently received by the historic library, which is actually located in Munhall. The library board plans to soon renovate and enlarge the children’s and teen area with a $50,000 grant from the Allegheny Foundation and a $10,000 gift from Janney Investments.

The project will enlarge the current 850-square-foot children’s library by about 50 percent, said Mr. Lloyd, who is also a Munhall councilman. He made the announcements at a late-day news conference yesterday at the library.

[ Full story available at: http://www.postgazette.com/pg/09050/950267-100.stm ]