Public Works

Alamitos Neighborhood Library Improvements

   

Newly repaired and restored front entrance door fixed from water damage and rot

Courtyard door before

Newly repaired and restored courtyard door fixed from water damage and rot

Second floor balcony door before

Newly repaired and restored balcony door fixed from water damage and rot

Balcony ceiling before

Restored balcony ceiling to help extend useful life of the facility

Second floor balcony wooden posts before

Restored wooden posts to ensure safety and preserve the character of the building

Windows before

Cleaned and repainted windows

Gutters before

Replaced gutters around building

  

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General Overview

The Alamitos Neighborhood Library has served as a hub in the Alamitos community for nearly 100 years. The current building at 1836 E. 3rd St. opened its doors in January 1929, making it the oldest branch in the City of Long Beach’s library system.The building’s distinctive architectural elements, including hand-painted ceiling beams, wrought iron railings, and terra cotta tile, are well-preserved and continually maintained by the City. In March 2016, the Alamitos Neighborhood Library received the City’s Historical Landmark designation, ensuring its continued preservation as a place of culture, learning and community.

The Alamitos Neighborhood Library underwent improvements in two phases:

Phase 1: This phase repaired the HVAC, plumbing, electrical and roofing systems to provide needed maintenance to the building to improve visitor experience.

Phase 2: This phase repaired and restored two of the library's distinctive, historical features: 

1. Windows: Leaks and chipped paint in the original windows were repaired to restore them to their original condition.
2. Wood Doors: Water damage and rot in the wood doors were fixed, ensuring they were structurally and aesthetically restored.

Timeline

The library will be open during construction after the initial closure.

Project timeline is set barring weather delays and other unforseen circumstances.

Objectives

• Extend the life of the library
• Optimize energy efficiency and operations
• Improve visitor experience
• Preserve and beautify historical features of the building

Improvements:

• Restored windows to extend their lifespan and protect against rain
• Repaired and restored solid wood doors to ensure safety and preserve the character of the building

Project Funding

This project was supported by Measure A funds. Measure A is a Long Beach ballot initiative approved by voters in 2016 as a 10-year sales tax to fund public infrastructure and public safety services and was extended indefinitely by voters in 2020. For more information, visit longbeach.gov/measurea.

July 2025 Update

The Alamitos Library Improvement Project is now complete! Recent improvements include:

• Refurbished front entrance and courtyard doors
• Cleaned and repainted library windows
• Repainted second-floor balcony ceilings and posts
• Replaced gutters around the building