Roof Tile Coming Off, Footings Nearly Done in Central Library’s $186 Million Retrofit

Crews retrofitting Pasadena’s shuttered Central Library have removed a substantial share of the roof tile and are close to finishing the basement footings, two structural milestones in a $186.2 million construction contract aimed at reopening the 1927 landmark in 2028.

Foundation and roof work are advancing simultaneously and the project remains on schedule, according to the City of Pasadena. With that tile removed, crews can inspect the wood framing underneath and replace damaged material as they work their way around the roof.

In the basement, footing work is nearly complete, clearing the way for vapor barriers to be laid across the floor beneath the rebar. Those barriers block moisture from rising through the slab and protect wood and cork finishes from mold. Crews have also begun installing floor boxes for data and power, and plumbing teams on the west side are excavating trenches for 6-foot storm drains.

The work is paid for by taxpayers. Voters approved $195 million in bonds through Measure PL on Nov. 5, 2024, with more than 70% support, levying $28.90 per $100,000 of assessed property value. The City Council approved full construction on March 2, amending its agreement with PCL Construction Services Inc. by $177,533,815 — from about $8.65 million in preconstruction services to a not-to-exceed total of $186,186,155.

The building has been closed since May 3, 2021, when a seismic evaluation found the unreinforced masonry structure out of compliance with the Pasadena Municipal Code. Its nearly 300,000-item collection is now spread among nine branch locations and off-site storage. Before the closure, the Myron Hunt-designed building drew more than 1,000 visitors a day and hosted more than 1,100 community meetings and events a year.

“The Central Library holds a special place in the hearts of Pasadena’s residents,” Mayor Victor Gordo said when the City Council approved the retrofit plan. Tim McDonald, director of libraries and information services, called the building “one of Pasadena’s great equalizers” at the December groundbreaking.

Pasadena is delivering the project under a construction manager at-risk method, which brought the contractor in during design and locked a guaranteed maximum price. The amended contract carries a 10% local economic impact commitment, measured across all phases through wages to eligible local residents, spending with Pasadena-based suppliers and payments to local subcontractors.

Crews are working through the 120,000-square-foot building zone by zone. Substantial completion is targeted for July 31, 2028, and the library will pass its 100th birthday on Feb. 12, 2027, still under construction.

Project details and construction updates are posted at https://www.cityofpasadena.net/Library/Central-Library-Earthquake-Retrofit/.