City officials are considering a $177.5 million increase to their contract with PCL Construction Services Inc. for Phase 2 construction of the Central Library seismic retrofit and renovation project, while outlining how the project is expected to generate measurable local economic benefits.
If approved, the amendment to Contract No. 33313 would raise the total contract amount to $186.2 million for construction manager at-risk services. The project involves seismic strengthening and restoration of the historic Central Library building, one of the city’s most prominent civic landmarks.
The proposed contract increase comes as the project transitions from limited preparatory work into its primary construction phase. Phase 1 and Phase 1A included design coordination, selective demolition, hazardous materials removal and preparation of the building for full seismic retrofit.
At the request of the City Council, staff provided additional details about local hiring and spending commitments built into the contract. Under the agreement, PCL must make a good faith effort to achieve a minimum of 10% local economic impact over the life of the construction program. The 10% target is measured cumulatively across all construction phases and may be met through a combination of wages paid to eligible local residents, spending with Pasadena-based suppliers and vendors, and payments to local subcontractors and trade partners.
Earlier this month, councilmembers Justin Jones, Tyron Hampton, Ricks Cole and Mayor Victor Gordo pressed for information on local hiring benchmarks, including future redevelopment along the 710 corridor.
Cole ultimately made the motion to delay contract approval until the council can review a comprehensive plan, a move supported by Vice Mayor Jess Rivas and Councilmember Jason Lyon.
City officials reported that during Phase 1 and Phase 1A, approximately $540,903 was directed to local workforce, trade partners and suppliers, representing about 6.9% of the $7.9 million spent in those early phases.
Officials noted those phases were limited in scope and involved specialized trades, and were not intended to reflect the broader economic participation anticipated during full construction.
For Phase 2, which represents the majority of the project’s construction value and labor hours, PCL has also adopted a voluntary local workforce participation goal of 10% to 15%. That workforce target is separate from the 10% economic impact requirement and will be measured by total hours worked and headcount of eligible local residents.
The project defines “local” based on specific Pasadena-area ZIP codes, with additional tiered geographic categories used for workforce tracking and transparency.
Officials said subcontractors will be required to submit participation plans, forecast local hiring levels and report regularly on actual workforce and spending outcomes. Data will be tracked using compliance software to monitor labor hours and through internal accounting systems to track subcontract awards and vendor payments.
City staff said progress toward the local economic participation goals will be reported periodically to the City Council and a mayor-appointed technical oversight committee.
Officials emphasized that the structured reporting framework is intended to provide transparency and accountability as the long-anticipated seismic retrofit moves into its largest and most labor-intensive phase.
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