Rebar Goes Into the Ground as Pasadena’s Central Library Retrofit Hits Structural Phase

Steel rebar is sitting in freshly dug trenches beneath Pasadena’s Central Library for the first time in the building’s 99-year history — the clearest sign yet that the voter-funded earthquake retrofit has crossed from demolition into construction.

About 70 workers are now moving simultaneously through the 120,000-square-foot building, according to a city project update from Tim McDonald, Director of Libraries and Information Services. In the basement, excavators are trenching for deep footings along the west side. On the roof, crews are pulling century-old clay tiles one by one, washing them, and storing them off-site for eventual reinstallation. The building turns 100 in February 2027 while the work continues. Completion is targeted for summer 2028.

The update, published June 11 in the City Manager’s Weekly Newsletter, marks a milestone in a project that has tested Pasadena’s patience. The library closed on May 3, 2021, after a seismic inspection revealed that its unreinforced masonry walls were not fastened to its foundation — leaving the structure vulnerable to collapse in an earthquake. For five years, the city’s largest library has sat empty, its nearly 300,000-item collection scattered among nine branch locations and off-site storage.

Voters approved $195 million in bonds through Measure PL in November 2024, passing the measure with nearly 72% support. The Pasadena City Council then approved Phase 2 of construction on March 2 awarding a contract to PCL Construction Services, Inc. not to exceed $186,186,155.

The structural work now underway is the core of the seismic fix. Over the coming months, crews will drill thousands of holes into the existing concrete and epoxy in new rebar, tying the original 1927 structure to new reinforcement. The footings being excavated in the basement are a crucial element of the concrete shear wall approach the City Council selected in August 2023 — a method designed to protect the building through future earthquakes. The project’s first major concrete pour, which will begin the core structural strengthening, is expected this month.

Meanwhile, the roof work requires a different kind of precision. Each clay tile — original to the 1927 Spanish Colonial Revival structure designed by architects Myron Hunt and H.C. Chambers — is being individually cleaned, inspected for damage, and dried before storage. The goal, according to the city update, is to reinstall as many original tiles as possible once roof leaks have been repaired and broken tiles replaced. Scaffolding along the north facade has climbed higher as crews expand their reach across the roof.

“Central Library connects us through access to knowledge, resources, and programs,” Pasadena City Councilman Justin Jones said when voters approved the bond measure. “Thanks to Measure PL, we’ll see it continue to serve Pasadena, providing opportunities for growth and learning in a resilient, updated space.”

Before it closed, the library served more than 1,000 visitors daily, according to city records, and hosted more than 1,100 community events and meetings each year. It was the first building completed in Pasadena’s Civic Center, dedicated on Abraham Lincoln’s birthday in 1927, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Construction crews are working zone by zone to maintain safety while keeping the project on schedule. The city reported in April that the project had logged 207 working days without a reportable lost-time incident.

For more information on the Central Library Earthquake Retrofit and Building Repairs Project, visit cityofpasadena.net/library/central-library-earthquake-retrofit.