Monterey County officials celebrated the upcoming reopening of the Pajaro community’s historic mansion and library on Friday, three years after widespread flooding and damage.
The Porter-Vallejo Mansion and County of Monterey Free Library in Pajaro was recognized Friday at a media event as the Project of the Year by the Alliance of Monterey Area Preservationists due to its extensive renovation to the historic building.
The historic mansion was severely damaged after the Pajaro River levee breach and flooding in 2023 that inundated thousands of acres of homes and farmland. With support from the state, AB 102 California Budget Act of 2023 and Monterey County’s Department of Public Works, Facilities and Parks, the renovation in Pajaro was made possible, a county release said.
The finished building will offer library services and a community gathering space for Pajaro residents. The full renovation will be completed in summer 2027 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, according to County Communications Director Nick Pasculli.
“As we get ready to, in the coming months, open up this entire facility, this building here under this roof will be a place for community, for learning and for service,” said Supervisor Glenn Church at the event. “And that’s something that we should all really be proud of.”
