Voters Approve Bond Measure For Central Library

[Updated]  The Central Library will receive a seismic retrofit thanks to local voters.

According to early voting results released on Tuesday, more than 70%, or 31,385, of votes tallied so far were in favor of Measure PL.

The $198 million bond measure would be used to fix the building, which has been closed for several years.

The building was ordered to close until further notice due to its construction with unreinforced masonry.

A placard placed on the structure reads, “Earthquake warning: This is an unreinforced masonry building. You may not be safe inside or near an unreinforced masonry building during an earthquake.”

A structural assessment conducted as part of the scope of work for the Central Library Building Systems and Structural Assessment Capital Improvement Project revealed that most of the building is comprised of unreinforced masonry (URM) bearing walls that support concrete floors and walls.

URM buildings have been widely recognized as a hazard to life safety due to their potential to collapse during an earthquake.

While Pasadena passed an ordinance in 1993 mandating all URM buildings to be retrofitted, vacated, or demolished, no record has been found as to why Central Library was not identified and addressed as a URM building, according to the city.

After an earthquake earlier this year, new cracks were found in the building.

The Central Library serves as an educational and community cornerstone for all to gather, learn, explore ideas, and connect with people and resources, averaging 1,000 daily visitors.

The City has completed 60% plans and cost estimate and will complete construction drawings by spring of next year.

The Central Library is one of the three major buildings in the City’s Civic Center District as part of the Bennett Plan. It was dedicated on Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, Feb. 12, 1927.

The plan, developed by architect Edward Bennett, placed the city’s most important civic institutions — including the library and City Hall — within an area where streets conclude at the buildings: City Hall to the east, the library to the north, and the Civic Center to the south.