Hays (Pittsburgh)

Infobox Pittsburgh neighborhood
name = Hays


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population1990 =
population2000 = 457
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area_sqmi = 1.75

Hays is a neighborhood in the 31st Ward of southeastern Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is represented on [http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/council/ Pittsburgh City Council] by the representative of [http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/district5/ District 5] (currently Doug Shields). It occupies ZIP codes 15227, 15207, and 15236. It is named after James H. Hays, who opened a coal-mining operation called Hays and Haberman Mines.

Hays was first settled in 1789 by John Smalls, who named the area Six Mile Ferry Village. The neighborhood was formerly the site of an ammunition plant, built by the U.S. Navy in 1942. The plant was transferred to the Army in 1966, and during its heyday between World War II and the Vietnam War employed more than a thousand people. In 1970 the plant was put on standby status until disposition in 1988. In 1993 the site was donated to the Urban Redevelopment Authority. [cite web | title=The Brownfields Center: Hays Case Study | url=http://www.ce.cmu.edu/Brownfields/NSF/sites/hays/index.htm | accessdate=2006-12-28 ] The closing of the plant has led to an enormous loss of population: In 1940 the population was 2238 - in 1990 the population was only 537.

Hays encompasses the area known as Hays Woods, a 635+ acre woodland, the largest undeveloped tract of land in the city of Pittsburgh (larger even than Frick Park).cite web | title=Hays Woods | url=http://savehayswoods.org/ | accessdate = 2006-12-28 ] Hays Woods is the best example of the City's natural environment and has six streams, including a waterfall. The future of a convert|613|acre|km2|sing=on parcel of land including Hays Woods is uncertain, as developer Charles Betters' application to strip mine the area was declined. Still, the developer's plan for a thoroughbred racetrack and housing development called Pittsburgh Palisades Park may come to fruition. [cite web | last=Roddy | first=Dennis | title=Racetrack hopefuls weighing options after state denies strip-mining permit | url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06356/748199-53.stm | accessdate=2006-12-28]

Hays is a stable community where some families have lived for generations. It is very convenient because of its location. Minutes from Downtown and The Waterfront, these hidden Pittsburgh gems are home to rural living in the city.

treets Run

The [http://www.streetsrunwatershed.com/ Streets Run Watershed] is a beautiful, yet flood prone area of the city. The [http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/dep/site/default.asp Department of Environmenal Protection] first investigated the erosion occurring in Streets Run in 1956. There has been major flooding there in 1968 and 1980, and more recently in 1994, 1995, 1999 and 2000. Currently, there is a Flood Protection Project in the works to remedy this situation which includes a concrete rectangular channel, wider banks, stormwater deterioration dams, and enforcement of existing regulations, such as the eroding CSX railroad line.

urrounding communities

Arlington, Baldwin Borough, Lincoln Place, New Homestead, Saint Clair, West Homestead, West Mifflin

References

*cite book | author=Toker, Franklin | title=Pittsburgh: An Urban Portrait | location=Pittsburgh | publisher=University of Pittsburgh Press | origyear=1986 | year=1994 | id=ISBN 0-8229-5434-6
*cite web | title=Census: Pittsburgh | url=http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/cp/assets/census/2000_census_pgh_jan06.pdf | accessdate = 2006-12-28

Notes

External links

* [http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/cp/maps/hays.html Hays Neighborhood Map]
* [http://www.streetsrunwatershed.com/ Streets Run Watershed]

ee also

List of Pittsburgh neighborhoods