Community Celebrates Hazelwood Green Site At Open House

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HAZELWOOD (KDKA) -- An old industrial site in Hazelwood is getting some long overdue attention this week.

The former Almono site, now known as Hazelwood Green, had a big celebration for politicians and big wigs Friday, but Saturday, the community was invited to share in the future of a prime site that's being touted as the possible future home of Amazon.

It was a community parade in a neighborhood left blighted and abandoned by the steel industry.

The site, once occupied by Jones and Laughlin Steel, has been cleaned up. It's ready for new industry, homes and businesses, but the community doesn't want gentrification to force them out, like it has elsewhere.

"We don't want our residents to be forced out, like so many other communities have been done," Elaine Price, of Hazelwood, said.

So they invited the community to an open house and celebration on the 178-acre site – a site that the city believes is a prime candidate for Amazon's new home and some 50,000 jobs. The politicians say they want Hazelwood's current residents to be a part of it.

"We really want to showcase what's coming in the future and how the neighborhood can be a part of it," Councilman Corey O'Connor said. "Not only just being here today, but part of the planning process and what they'd like to see happen, not just here on site but in the community as well."