Roosevelt campus (Photo – ©Colorado Boulevard Newspaper)
Pasadena City Council is set to vote on Monday, June 2, at 6:00 pm on whether to grant landmark status to Roosevelt Elementary School. Not everyone is convinced that preservation is the right path forward.
By Rena Kurlander
Reconstructed in 1953 to serve students with special needs, Roosevelt Elementary provided education for children with disabilities at a time when public schools were not legally required to do so. While some districts offered such services voluntarily, others did not.
A Planning & Community Development Department Staff Report, released on April 15, 2025, concluded that “the subject property is not eligible for landmark designation under any criteria.” The report recommended that the Commission uphold the Director’s November 8, 2024, decision and deny the application, stating that the property does not meet the necessary standards. Despite this, the Historic Preservation Commission narrowly voted 5 to 4 in favor of landmark designation. The issue has since resurfaced.
Now, as the matter heads to City Council, some residents and city planners are questioning whether landmark status is the best use of the property in 2025 and beyond.
Landmarking the school could complicate redevelopment efforts at a time when Pasadena is grappling with housing affordability and limited space. Supporters note that landmark status wouldn’t prohibit new housing outright, but critics argue that the restrictions and lengthy approval processes often lead to delays, increased costs, and fewer options for adaptive reuse.
Some question whether the school’s educational legacy alone justifies permanent designation. They suggest that recognition could come in other forms, plaques, exhibits, or public programming, without the regulatory oversight that may constrain future development.
Others note that Roosevelt has not functioned as a school in years. Preserving it as a landmark risks diverting attention and resources from Pasadena’s current educational and infrastructure needs. The Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) has been exploring the possibility of developing workforce housing on the site, which would help district employees afford to live within city limits. Some view the landmarking push as an overreach by the City into PUSD’s affairs, especially given that the district did not initiate the application. Notably, Mayor Gordo opposed the school’s closure when the board made that decision years ago.
Facing financial pressures, including challenges funding staff raises amid declining enrollment and revenue, PUSD has already undergone painful layoffs. Many argue Pasadena Unified should be allowed to manage its surplus properties in ways that support its workforce and stabilize its finances. Since the site has been closed for years and is unlikely to reopen as a school, critics say the preservation effort is driven more by sentiment than by practicality.
What political pressures are at play behind the scenes? Ultimately, the upcoming vote may reveal more about the forces shaping Pasadena’s land use decisions than about the historical significance of a long-shuttered school.
Comments may be submitted via email to correspondence@cityofpasadena.net.
[This piece was updated to include links and references to the recommendation against the landmark proposal.]
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