South Pasadena consultants outline site master plan, engagement timeline and outreach materials for library–community center project

Consultants from Group 4 Architecture presented an initial work plan, project goals and a community engagement program to the South Pasadena City Library & Community Center ad hoc site planning committee on Feb. 20, laying out a needs-assessment phase, a site analysis and a second round of community engagement leading toward a recommended site plan in the fall.

The presentation was led by Andrea Gifford, a principal and project designer at Group 4 Architecture, who said the team started work in early January and has been meeting with library and senior-center staff and other stakeholders. “Again, we're keeping it very high level. We're talking a site plan. We won't be developing building floor plans or building diagrams, but just generally looking at site strategies to meet the needs,” Gifford told the committee.

Committee members and staff spent much of the meeting reviewing the proposed engagement materials: a flyer and bookmark with a QR code, a set of large-format engagement boards for pop-up events and an online survey that consultants proposed to open before public events. The consultants proposed pop-up outreach at community events, an open house plus a formal presentation, and a multi-week survey window to collect priorities from residents.

Why it matters: The project combines an existing library, the senior center and adjacent outdoor space into a coordinated site plan. The ad hoc committee’s input will shape what programs and square-footage the master plan recommends — documents that city…