Pasadena Puts Out Bid for Historic Report on 710 Displacement

The City of Pasadena has published a Request for Proposals for the preparation of a historic report about the State Route 710 displacement which occurred when eminent domain leveled Pasadena neighborhoods for construction of the northern extension of the Long Beach freeway.

The report will focus on the impact of the SR 710 North construction project on the West Pasadena community, including the displacement of residents and businesses.

According to the city website, “SR-710 North was constructed over several years in the early 1970s and displaced at least 4,000 residents and resulted in the demolishment of some 1,500 homes and commercial and institutional buildings. A majority of the homes were owned or rented by low income residents and people of color.”

The bidding is open to qualified historians, sociologists, and other professionals with experience in conducting historical research. 

The selected researcher will be responsible for collecting and analyzing historical data on the SR 710 North project, including archival documents, oral histories, and other sources. The researcher will also be responsible for writing a report that summarizes their findings and provides recommendations for how the City can address the historical impacts of the SR 710 North project.

As per the report, a virtual meeting to answer questions from potential bidders will be held on June 15 at 3:00 p.m.: 

To meeting can be accessed through this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82001606621?pwd=VllzYWg0TnR3Y1hrK3A0ZmlPOVl2dz09

The report stated that additional RFPs to solicit bids to prepare plans for the physical redevelopment of the site are anticipated to be released later this month.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) relinquished the “stub” from Union Street to Columbia Street in June of 2022, and ownership was transferred to Pasadena in August of 2022. 

Last March, the City Council appointed 16 who sit as members of the Reconnecting Communities 710 Advisory Group to provide guidance to the City Council with respect to the redevelopment of the approximate 40-acre area. 

The group “will provide input to the City Council on the vision, land use, massing, circulation, and other urban design aspects of the plan, as well as other key policy issues, including potential restorative justice efforts relating to the displacement caused by the proposed freeway expansion,” according to a staff report.