Retrofit and Repair of Central Library Could Cost $195 Million; Council Will Mull Borrowing Money

The City Council is considering passing to voters a bond measure in 2024 for the retrofit and repair of the Pasadena Central Library, which preliminary estimates predict will cost between $175 and $195 million.

The library, which is a designated Pasadena historic resource, was closed in 2021 due to seismic safety issues. The renovation is set to begin in 2025.

Retrofit and repair construction is expected to take about 3 years, with projected completion in 2028. 

Director of Public Works Tony Olmos said since May, City staff has been conducting outreach to get input from the public and the majority expressed they want the library reopened as soon as possible.

“We did hear a lot from them that opening the library as soon as possible is one of the top things that came up every single time.” 

Olmos said the City is currently pursuing funding for the completion of the project. 

Olmos said staff will come back in October to talk about potential funding strategy with the City Council. 

“That would be the time when we can talk about potential bond measures, etc., and all the other different options for trying to raise money first before we would recommend the Council to consider something different,” said Olmos. 

“The reason why we are approaching this in such an aggressive fashion is to give Council the opportunity to go out to the public with a bond measure and close the funding gap.” 

If the bond measure were to be approved by the City Council, it could be included in the November 2024 ballot, according to Olmos. 

“The City Council needs to make a decision late summer of 2024 to get it on the ballot in November,” he said. 

It is unclear to date how much is needed to close the funding gap for the library construction. 

Olmos said staff will present the final cost estimate by spring of next year while the final plan specifications will be presented in 2025. 

Some members of the City Council said if there should be a bond measure, then it would be better to include funding for the renovation of other buildings in Pasadena.

“If we were looking at a bond measure in 2024, perhaps we can include an analysis on some of our fire stations that need to be renovated, because if we are going to borrow, maybe we can borrow it all at once,” said Councilmember Justin Jones. 

“I also am interested in considering whether it makes more political sense to do this as an omnibus motion for all capital improvements,” said Councilmember Jason Lyon. 

At the same meeting, the City Council unanimously approved the staff recommendation to pursue the Concrete Shear Wall earthquake retrofit approach and directed staff to proceed with a detailed design of the project.

For more on the construction method decision see: Pasadena City Council Approves Plan to Retrofit and Repair Central Library