Pasadena City Hall - Pasadena, California
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 34° 08.857 W 118° 08.640
11S E 394534 N 3779114
The historic Pasadena City Hall was renovated and brought to LEED Gold certification.
Waymark Code: WM6Z8C
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 08/09/2009
Views: 11
"In 1923, the people of Pasadena approved a bond measure issuing $3.5 million towards the development of a civic center. City Hall was to be the central element of this center. The San Francisco architecture firm of Bakewell and Brown designed the City Beautiful and California Mediterranean influenced City Hall. It was completed on December 27, 1927 at a cost of $1.3 million. It measures 361 feet (110 m) by 242 feet (74 m), and rises 6 stores. There are over 235 rooms and passageways that cover over 170,000 square feet (16,000 m2). The defining dome, located above the west entrance, is 26 feet (7.9 m) tall and 54 feet (16 m) in diameter. On July 28, 1980, Pasadena City Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
From a distance, Pasadena City Hall has always looked as though it has withstood the test of time. However, by the late 20th century, the building was showing signs of age. The 1920s building did not meet modern building codes, and studies indicated that a major earthquake could potentially destroy several parts of the building and likely result in a loss of life The concrete walls had many deep cracks, and two of the stairway towers had considerable damage. There was also water damage from years of storms with little to no repair and maintenance. In the late 90's, an effort to rehabilitate the aging building began, led by Architectural Resources Group of San Francisco, CA.
In July 2004, the building was vacated in order to allow for a complete overhaul of the structure. Over the course of 3 years, all offices and council chambers were renovated, the facade was restored, the building was adapted to meet ADA standards, the building's HVAC systems were replaced and modernized, and new landscaping and architectural lighting was installed all round the complex. In order ensure that the City Hall would withstand future earthquake activity, the building was lifted off its foundation, equipped with structural base isolators, and given a new foundation. The renovation of Pasadena City Hall earned a LEED Gold certification." - Wikipedia