Pittsburg, California

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Pittsburg, California
Nickname: P-World
Location of Pittsburg within California
Coordinates: 38°0′54″N, 121°53′33″W
Country	United States
State	California
County	Contra Costa
Area
- City	16.8 sq mi (43.6 km²)
- Land	15.6 sq mi (40.4 km²)
- Water	1.2 sq mi (3.2 km²)
Population (2000)
- City	56.769

Pittsburg is a city located in north central Contra Costa County, California. It was founded in 1839 and first called New York Landing, and then Black Diamond before citizens voted on "Pittsburg" on February 11th, 1911, in honor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania due to its relation with the steel building industry first established by the Columbia Steel Company. The original townsite fronts on the San Joaquin River Delta, reflecting its origins as a deep water channel river port. (As of January 1, 2007, new state legislation will enable the city to manage its own riverfront for commercial development and susequent port operations).

Since the early 1900s, the city has grown inland to the south, then spread east and west along California State Route 4, now a freeway carrying resident commuters to jobs in the San Francisco Bay-Oakland Region. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,769. The City has extensive history of coal mining and industrial development since the late 1800s with USS-POSCO Industries (a joint venture with Pohang Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. of South Korea) and Dow Chemical coporations maintaining large, substantial plants, located in Pittsburg.

Pittsburg is also home of Los Medanos College, a two-year community college. The Contra Costa Community College District was established by a vote of the people on December 14, 1948. With boundaries roughly those of Contra Costa County, the district covers 686 square miles, making it one of the largest college districts in California. It serves and is supported by approximately 775,480 residents of Contra Costa County. Reaching back 132 years into the Mexican heritage of Contra Costa County and to the heyday of its vast rancheros, the members of the Governing Board decided to name the district’s third campus Los Medanos College. The name is derived from that of the Rancho Los Medanos, among the last of the huge land grants made by the Mexican Government during its sovereignty over California from 1821 to 1846; Los Medanos, loosely translated from Spanish, means “The Sand Dunes.” In the spring semester of 1974, Los Medanos College opened its doors to the 1974 graduating classes of Liberty Union High, Antioch High, Pittsburg High, Pacifica High, Clayton Valley High, and Concord High School. Of equal importance, and perhaps in greater numbers, it attracted adults of all ages from a section of central and the entire eastern portion of Contra Costa County.

Pittsburg is definitely a city divided. Clean, safe suburbs lie to the south of California State Route 4 while the City enjoys continued residential growth in the southwest hills area with the ongoing construction of major subdivision developments, fast becoming one of several residential growth areas in eastern Contra Costa County for the San Francisco Bay-Oakland region. Other areas are different. Prostitution and drug dealing cripple portions of the northern, older part of town. Unincorporated West Pittsburg (now called Bay Point) is infamously crime-stricken. Another part of town which is known for a great number of homicides and historically has had the highest crime rate in the city is known as the El Pueblo Housing area. The city is currently in the process of redeveloping the older downtown part of the city to increase business presence and reduce crime.

Through its extensive redevelopment activities, the city's Old Downtown Corridor, renamed "Old Town Pittsburg," has promoted business investment and construction development through its highy active Redevelopment Agency which enhances business, commercial and residential growth while promoting the eradication of blight, and reducing violent crimes in the community. As a result of this investment by the city, a number of new mixed-use residential and commercial projects are under construction north of State Route 4.

A new Marina Master Plan is under development along Pittsburg's riverfront which will include a pedestrian promenade to be completed in Summer 2007 along with subsequent commercial and hotel construction and development planned in 2008.

Pittsburg is also a planned extension of the existing Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) rapid transit system which includes a planned BART station at the Pittsburg Railroad Avenue Station designed for construction by 2010. A Civic Center Master Plan is being undertaken by the city to promote transit-oriented and mixed-use development opportunities to coincide with the construction of the new BART station adjacent to the current Civic Center.

Edward Hart (born April 24, 1949) is a former American athlete, winner of gold medal in 4x100 m relay at the 1972 Summer Olympics. Born in Martinez, California, Eddie Hart won, as an University of California student, the NCAA championships in 100 yd in 1970. Mr. Hart is a Pittsburg High School graduate and active community member.

NASCAR driver Marvin Burke was from Pittsburg.

Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 56,769 people, 17,741 households, and 13,483 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,405.0/km² (3,639.0/mi²). There were 18,300 housing units at an average density of 452.9/km² (1,173.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 43.53% White, 18.89% Black or African American, 0.75% Native American, 12.65% Asian, 0.86% Pacific Islander, 16.11% from other races, and 7.22% from two or more races. 32.21% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 17,741 households out of which 42.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples living together, 17.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.0% were non-families. 18.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.17 and the average family size was 3.59.

In the city the population was spread out with 30.8% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $50,557, and the median income for a family was $54,472. Males had a median income of $39,111 versus $31,396 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,241. About 8.7% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.1% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.

External links

• City of Pittsburg official website
• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 38.015021° -121.892491°
  • Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
  • Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
  • Topographic map from TopoZone
  • Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA