July 19, 2007

NEW PARTNERSHIP WILL CREATE JOBS FOR PASADENA RESIDENTS ON CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION PROJECT

DMJM Management and the city of Pasadena have signed the first memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the hiring of local residents to work on the $121 million expansion of Pasadena Convention Center, which is exempt from the First Source Local Hiring Ordinance.

The ordinance, which does not apply to local government projects, requires developers who receive financial incentives from the city of Pasadena to hire local residents to work on those projects.

“DMJM has taken a bold step in agreeing to reach out to Pasadena residents who are looking for work in construction trades,” said Antonio Watson, project manager in the First Source Local Hiring Office, a division of the Pasadena City Manager’s Office. “This MOU demonstrates their commitment to the community for a project that legally does not require any such dedication.”

The expansion project, which will nearly double the size of the facility, includes exterior and interior renovation of the existing conference center and a complete demolition and expansion of the existing exhibition hall and west plaza of the city-owned property at 300 E. Green St. When completed in spring 2009, a new 60,000 square foot exhibition hall, 25,000 square foot ballroom and 28 breakout rooms will increase Pasadena’s convention capacity and provide unprecedented flexibility to meeting planners.

DMJM Management provides program and construction management services from the design through construction and close-out. While overseeing the convention center expansion project, the firm will support the requirements of the local workforce utilization plan between the city of Pasadena and Clark Construction. Goals of the utilization plan include establishing local hiring and local workforce development, establishing and implementing pre-apprenticeship training, employment placement, and local business and contractor participation.

Qualified local applicants for the expansion will be eligible to work on other DMJM-managed projects including major facility improvements in Los Angeles Community College District, Los Angeles Unified School District, city of Los Angeles, Orange Unified School District and California State University-Northridge.

The First Source Local Hiring Office is negotiating additional hiring and MOU agreements with developers and training institutions.

Pasadena residents interested in local construction jobs are encouraged to visit www.cityofpasadena.net/citymanager and click on First Source Local Hiring, call (626) 744-8382 or email awatson@cityofpasadena.net.