Historic Places Pasadena Project Enters Final Documentation Phase

The City of Pasadena’s ambitious “Historic Places Pasadena: Completing Our Story” project is entering a crucial phase as staff prepares to release a draft Historic Context Statement for public review by early April, according to a report scheduled for presentation at the Historic Preservation Commission meeting on March 4.

The comprehensive citywide historic resources survey, which began after City Council approved funding in 2023, aims to document Pasadena’s diverse cultural heritage and identify potential historic resources throughout the community.

“This project will provide a comprehensive source of information about the types of resources that are significant to all aspects of the City’s history,” stated Kevin Johnson, Principal Planner, in his report to the commission. The survey will also identify “buildings, structures, objects, sites and districts that meet the criteria for historical designation.”

The project team has engaged with the community at over 30 events since November 2023, ranging from neighborhood association meetings to cultural festivals. Their efforts have already yielded results, with 88 locations submitted by residents to the project’s crowdsourced story map.

Following the pending release of the draft Historic Context Statement, the project plans to host a major community celebration on May 24 at the Jackie Robinson Community Center. The event, titled “Our History, Our Places: Celebrating Pasadena’s Cultural Heritage,” will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and feature interactive conversations and cultural performances.

Once the context statement phase concludes, the project will move to its next stages: the Reconnaissance Survey, involving extensive fieldwork to identify potential historic resources, followed by an Intensive Survey with focused research on those identified properties.

“The Historic Context Statement will not be considered final until the Reconnaissance and Intensive Survey phases have been completed,” Johnson noted in his report, explaining that new information discovered during the surveys will be incorporated into the final document.

The project represents the first comprehensive update to Pasadena’s historic resources documentation since 1993. When complete, it will provide planners, property owners, and residents with valuable information about the city’s architectural and cultural heritage.

All staff reports and attachments related to the above items, along with additional project information and access to the crowdsourced story map, are posted on the project website, www.cityofpasadena.net/historicplaces.

The Historic Preservation Commission will receive this update during its regular meeting on Tuesday, March 4, at 6 p.m. in the George Ellery Hale Building Hearing Room, located at 175 North Garfield Avenue (entrance on Ramona Street).

The public is welcome to attend in person or submit comments via email to commentsHPC@cityofpasadena.net prior to the meeting. Meeting materials and agenda information are available on the city’s website at www.cityofpasadena.net/commissions/historic-preservation-commission/.