Historic Pasadena library closed due to seismic risk
May. 07, 2021 at 1:00 pm
3 weeks agobriefs
The city of Pasadena’s historic Central Library has been ordered closed pending further review due to seismic safety concerns.
The nearly century-old Mediterranean Revival-style building had just reopened for in-person services following a pandemic closure when the closure order was issued Monday, the city said in a statement.
A recent structural assessment revealed that most of the building is constructed with unreinforced masonry bearing walls that support concrete floors and walls.
So-called URM buildings are known to be a life-safety hazard because they can collapse in an earthquake.
PASADENA, Calif.
The city of Pasadena’s historic Central Library has been ordered closed pending further review due to seismic safety concerns.
The nearly century-old Mediterranean Revival-style building had just reopened for in-person services following a pandemic closure when the closure order was issued Monday, the city said in a statement.
A recent structural assessment revealed that most of the building is constructed with unreinforced masonry bearing walls that support concrete floors and walls.
So-called URM buildings are known to be a life-safety hazard because they can collapse in an earthquake.
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“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,” the city said.
In 1993, Pasadena officials passed an ordinance requiring all buildings with unreinforced masonry be retrofitted, emptied, or demolished. The Central Library was not in that list.
Mermell said the city hasn t found any record of why the building wasn t identified as part of that project or whose job it was to do so.
He says the city is now considering setting up a satellite location for the library s 350,000 + items. So there s also a need to figure out where those items are gonna go, Mermell said. People still want to be able to get items, and they can still do that by visiting our branches, so we re gonna need to find a way to get to the collection.
Waterville to consider Lockwood Mill housing plan TIF change
The Waterville City Council on Tuesday also will consider helping to fund community service organizations.
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WATERVILLE The public will have a chance Tuesday to ask questions and comment on a proposed change to a tax increment financing district and related development plan for the Lockwood Mills housing project.
The Waterville City Council will hold a public hearing on the proposal at 6:45 p.m. and consider taking a first of two votes on the TIF plans at the regular council meeting following the hearing. The meeting will be accessible via a link on the city’s website.
A Seguin firefighter died after his lengthy battle with COVID-19 on Friday in Houston.
Seguin Firefighter/Paramedic Roger Dean died at the age of 31 years old, Seguin Fire Chief Dale Skinner said in a news release.Â
âIt is with profound sadness that we announce the death of one of our own, Firefighter/Paramedic Roger Dean, who passed away Friday, April 23 at a Houston hospital following a lengthy, hard-fought battle with COVID-19,â he said. âPlease keep his wife, baby girl, their family and our department in your thoughts and prayers, during this difficult time.â
Deanâs death is a result of complications due to COVID-19, Skinner said. Members of the Seguin Fire Department, along with Skinner and Seguin City Manager Steve Parker went to Houston on Friday to be with Deanâs family and transport his body back to Seguin.