Pasadena Central Library General Contractor Plans Host Open House on Rose Bowl, Central Library Hiring

PCL Construction will host an open house Wednesday to connect local contractors, suppliers, and jobseekers with potential opportunities on two of Pasadena’s largest active construction projects: the $195 million Central Library seismic retrofit and ongoing improvements to the Rose Bowl Stadium.

The event, called “Building Pasadena Together,” will run from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. January 29 at Flintridge Center. Registration begins at 2:00 p.m., and attendees can sign up at bit.ly/BuildPasTogether.

PCL Construction Services, the general contractor managing the Central Library renovation under a contract approved by the City Council in July 2025, is also a construction partner on Rose Bowl improvements, which are part of an $80 million renovation campaign ahead of the 2028 Olympics. The open house offers attendees the chance to meet PCL project teams for both sites and learn about anticipated scopes of work, certification pathways, and how to prequalify to bid on subcontracts, according to press materials from the event organizers.

The outreach comes after community members pressed for stronger local hiring commitments on publicly funded projects. During the July 2025 council meeting that approved PCL’s library contract, local contractor Jamie Potter, owner of Titan Disposal, urged the city to require enforceable local hiring targets.

“We need local residents working on every part of this project,” Potter said at the meeting. “We have the skill and the manpower, and we live here.”

Breana Weaver, PCL’s manager of diversity, equity and inclusion, told the council that 10 percent of contract value would be an investment in the local Pasadena economy through prioritization of local subcontractors, vendors, and workforce.

The open house targets Pasadena-based contractors and suppliers, trade union representatives, labor partners, pre-apprenticeship workforce program providers, residents seeking construction careers, and community organizations supporting workforce or small business development.

Flintridge Center, the event venue, is a nonprofit that has served Northwest Pasadena and West Altadena since 1986. The organization operates an Apprenticeship Preparation Program that readies individuals—including those formerly incarcerated—for careers in union construction trades.

The Central Library, designed by architect Myron Hunt in 1927, has been closed since May 2021 due to seismic vulnerabilities in its unreinforced masonry. Voters approved Measure PL in November 2024 to fund the $195 million retrofit, and the project is expected to be completed in 2028. The Rose Bowl’s Lasting Legacy Campaign includes infrastructure improvements targeted for completion by fall 2026, with additional phases planned after the 2028 Olympic Games.

In October 2025, the City of Pasadena launched a “Build Pasadena’s Future With Us” survey to gauge local workforce capacity and connect residents with opportunities tied to both projects.

“This project is more than seismic safety,” Ronald Matthews, CEO of RKM Construction and the city’s former local hiring coordinator, said during the July council meeting. “It is about honoring public investment and ensuring Pasadena residents are participants and not spectators.”

“Building Pasadena Together,” an open house hosted by PCL Construction for local contractors, suppliers, and jobseekers interested in opportunities on the Central Library and Rose Bowl construction projects, takes place Wednesday, January 29. Registration begins at 2:00 p.m., with the program running from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. The event is free. It will be held at Flintridge Center, 236 West Mountain Street Suite 106. To register or for more information, visit bit.ly/BuildPasTogether.