Preserving Pasadena’s History

ore than 3,500 historic sites lend charm and grace to our city, drawing tourists and researchers from around the world, preserving the work of important artists and architects and giving us a window into the past.

A new brochure explains how the city of Pasadena is protecting these irreplaceable landmarks.

Using specific criteria, a team of staff and commissioners evaluates properties that may be designated as local landmarks, landmark districts, historic monuments, additions to the National Register of Historic Places or national historic monuments. When properties are officially designated, owners must submit plans for review before any demolitions, additions, new construction or major alterations are allowed and all work must preserve the properties’ historic exteriors.

Anyone can nominate a Pasadena property for historic designation by visiting window #4 at the Permit Center, 175 N. Garfield Ave., or by calling 744-4009. To receive special status, the property should be associated with a historic event or person; represent a distinctive architectural style, period or construction method; or a well-known architect, designer, engineer or builder. A neighborhood can be named a landmark district if at least 60 percent of its structures represent the same historic period or architectural theme.

The detailed brochure is now available at the Permit Center, Pasadena Heritage, Pasadena Museum of History and Neighborhood Connections. It’s also available for download at www.cityofpasadena.net/planning (click on Design and Historic Preservation). Who knows? You may be reading this article inside a future landmark!

Benefits for Property Owners

If you own a historic property, you may qualify for a property tax cut of up to 75 percent and other benefits through the city’s Historic Property Contract Program, established under the authority of the state’s Mills Act. In return, you’ll agree to restore and maintain your historic architectural treasure.

The program is open to any property that has been designated as a landmark, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is in a designated city landmark or National Register of Historic Places district or was designed by famed architects Greene
and Greene.

Applications for the 2006 program will be available at the Permit Center
and should be submitted by March 31, 2006. For more information visit www.cityofpasadena.net/planning and click on Design and Historic
Preservation or call 744-6754.

Get Wired with Pasadena’s New Digital Library

DOWNLOAD THE LATEST BESTSELLERS, hundreds of titles of fiction and
non-fiction and even classical music for free through a new service from Pasadena Public Library.

How does it work? Visit www.cityofpasadena.net/library and download free reader software. Then pick what you’d like to read and use your Pasadena Public Library card to check out and download your selections to a PC, PDA, MP3 player, Smart Phone or other device. You can even burn many titles to a CD and listen to them in your car. At the end of the loan period, your choices are automatically returned to the Digital Library so you’ll never rack up late fees.

Available 24/7, the Digital Library includes dozens of categories including romance, mysteries, study guides, computer manuals, biographies and more. eBooks are available in Adobe PDF and Mobipocket formats while audio eBooks and eMusic are available in Windows® Media Audio format.

Developed as a joint-venture of Pasadena Public Library and Glendale Public Library, the system uses technology developed by OverDrive Inc., a leading provider of digital media solutions. For more information, call 744-4066.

Calling All Teens!

YOU'RE HOOKED ON TV COP DRAMAS and you’ve always wanted to spend some time inside a real police department. Now’s your chance.

The Pasadena Police Department is now accepting applications for the next Citizens Police Academy, Teen Edition. The eight-week series, designed for high-schoolers in grades 10 through 12, will give you an inside look at Pasadena police operations. In a friendly, casual environment, you’ll learn all about police communications, criminal law and procedures, street crime enforcement and investigations. Most important, you’ll see how community policing helps build partnerships and solve problems and you’ll understand the police department’s role in the community.

The academy starts in February. To apply, you must be in grades 10 through 12,
live in Pasadena or go to school in the Pasadena Unified School District and have no misdemeanor convictions on your record for the past year. You will be asked to show your student I.D.

For more information or an application, call the Community Services Section of the Pasadena Police Department at 744-4551.

City Hall Retrofit Update

WORK CONTINUES ON THE CITY HALL RETROFIT and restoration project. A critical milestone has been reached: Major demolition is complete and now the work of replacing the structural foundation from the bottom up and making interior improvements from the top down has begun.

The structural foundation is being rebuilt with the inclusion of 240 base isolators that will enable the building to stand still during an earthquake and the ground the move around it. The first 33 of the isolators were delivered in December. Each weighs about 2 tons and is about 3 ½ feet in diameter.

worker Interior improvements will include replacement of walls, restoration of ceilings and installation of new finishes, HVAC, electrical, plumbing and fire suppression systems. The existing historic elevator cab will be restored and a new elevator will be installed near the council chambers.

On the exterior of the building, all cast stone elements and exterior plaster will be restored and the copper cladding on the dome and stair towers will be refurbished. New landscaping, planters handicap ramps and other additions will add the finishing touches to the historic restoration of the nearly 200,000-square-foot building.

More information about the City Hall retrofit and restoration can be found at www.cityofpasadena.net (click on City Hall Restoration Project & Souvenirs) or by calling 744-7073.

Official Souvenirs Help Fund City Hall Project

PART OF THE OVERALL PASADENA CITY HALL RETROFIT project budget includes fund-raising activities. As part of this effort, a full line of souvenir products are available for purchase at 117 E. Colorado Blvd., sixth floor. Items include postcards, t-shirts, magnets, key chains, posters, mugs, tiles, ornaments and more. All proceeds help fund the restoration of the barrel-vaulted ceiling in the Garfield Avenue grand entrance to
City Hall. For more information about souvenirs, visit http://www.cityofpasadena.net/cityHall/souvenirs.asp or call 744-4755

Directing Our Destiny

LEARN ABOUT PASADENA'S FUTURE during the annual State of the City event hosted by Pasadena’s mayor Wednesday, Jan. 18, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the student center at Maranatha High School, 169 S. St. John Ave.

A short video presentation highlighting accomplishments of the past year will be shown, followed by the mayor’s annual update on issues ranging from economic development to public safety.

The event is free and open to the public (including free parking) and refreshments will be served.

If you can’t make it, watch it on KPAS or via streaming video on the Internet. Within 24 hours of the event, the replay schedule will be posted at www.cityofpasadena.net (click on City News).

For more information, call 744-4311.

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	Public Affairs