Former Pasadena Public Works Director Joins Construction Firm

Pasadena-based construction company Adept Urban has hired former Pasadena Public Works Director Ara Maloyan as its director of construction. 

Maloyan came to Pasadena in 2015 after a stint as the Long Beach Public Works director to fill the spot left vacant with the termination of former Public Works head Siobhan Foster. Foster was one of several managers fired by then-City Manager Michael Beck in the wake of an embezzlement scandal.

“I’m very excited to be part of Adept and to offer my decades of experience towards addressing the issues of the regional housing shortage,” Maloyan said in a prepared statement. 

“Adept has done great work in adaptive reuse projects, historic preservation, as well as ground-up construction, and I will work to ensure that we maintain and build upon this track record of excellence,” Maloyan said.

On Tuesday, Pasadena’s Design Commission reviewed an Adept Urban proposal to build a six-story, 86,000 square-foot mixed-use structure on an empty lot on the southwest corner of East Green Street and South Arroyo Parkway.

The 48-unit condominium project has received a $34.5 million construction loan.

“I believe our strength comes from the people who make up our team. We hire people who come from diverse backgrounds and experiences but who are all linked by a common theme of helping build communities that people can call ‘home’,” said  Patrick Chraghchian, president of Adept. 

Before coming to Pasadena, Maloyan was appointed director of Public Works in Long Beach. Previously, he was City Engineer for the city of Beverly Hills, where he also held a variety of engineering positions for 23 years. Prior to his job in Beverly Hills, Maloyan was employed for five years by the city of Los Angeles Department of Public Works and Department of Building and Safety.

 During his 37 years in the public and private sectors, Maloyan managed over $600 million in a variety of construction projects, including municipal libraries, parks, reservoirs, community centers, police and fire station remodeling, and the paving of major thoroughfares. He possesses extensive experience in the construction and refurbishment of utility systems. He is a licensed civil engineer in California and earned a certification in construction management from UCLA. 

“Ara has an outstanding record in public service and major projects, and he understands the challenges that both public agencies and private developers face. We welcome his leadership and experience to Adept,” said Chraghchian.