NewsCalifornia News

Actions

Historic Pasadena library closed due to seismic risk

Pasadena Library Seismic Closure
Posted
and last updated

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — The city of Pasadena’s historic Central Library has been ordered closed pending further review due to seismic safety concerns.

The city says 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.

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 at risk of collapse in an earthquake.

A 1993 order requires URM buildings to be retrofitted, vacated or demolished, but the city can't find any record of why the library was not identified.

,

Weather

Daily Forecast

View Hourly Forecast

Day

Conditions

HI / LO

Precip

Sunday

03/01/2026

Partly Cloudy

80° / 54°

0%

Monday

03/02/2026

AM Clouds/PM Sun

67° / 49°

8%

Tuesday

03/03/2026

Sunny

71° / 49°

6%

Wednesday

03/04/2026

AM Clouds/PM Sun

68° / 45°

9%

Thursday

03/05/2026

Partly Cloudy

65° / 44°

6%

Friday

03/06/2026

Sunny

69° / 46°

2%

Saturday

03/07/2026

Sunny

75° / 49°

2%

Sunday

03/08/2026

Mostly Sunny

78° / 51°

1%