Americana

Nordstrom - the high-end retailer that has come to life on a prominent corner of the Americana at Brand - will open on Sept. 20, officials announced Wednesday. Americana officials also announced that two big-draw restaurants will open in the outdoor shopping mall within a year. The Americana is also making $60 million worth of improvements along Brand Boulevard to create a grand lobby entrance leading to Nordstrom as well as street improvements such as landscaping and lighting, according to Rick Caruso, founder of the Americana's owner, Caruso Affiliated.

DOWNTOWN — Gabriela Walsh, a Valencia resident who works in Glendale, had her heart set on buying a condo at the Americana at Brand — until she learned it would cost her more than $700,000. Americana developer Caruso Affiliated recently announced that prices for the 100 condo units in the retail, residential and entertainment megaplex will start in the “low $700,000s” and cap at more than $2 million. “That’s a bit out of my range,” Walsh said.

The May 22 article, “Burbank theaters are a big draw,” says Burbank cinemas are a big draw. Not for me. Loud music in the halls, sitting through advertising before the movie starts and a long stream of trailers. When I went to see “Conspirator” on April 15, the show was nearly 15 minutes late in starting. I know, you save money at the early shows. You get what you pay for. I much prefer the Pacific Theaters at the Americana at Brand. Developer Rick Caruso has some class.

I respectfully disagree with your editorial about the expansion of the Americana at Brand ("Redefining 'blighted,'" Dec. 4). Rick Caruso has delivered for Glendale, while the former sound studio has sat vacant for years, and the motel contributes too little to the economic base to justify its existence in a "redevelopment zone. " Further, no one is taking these properties; the owners have a chance to propose a plan (and the city said they would allow more than 45 days if necessary)

It was the second performance of the Glendale Renaissance Orchestra at the Americana at Brand, on the green. It was well-attended with picture-perfect weather ("Concert Review: A classical beat," July 7). It was fabulous! The conductor was genius. He carried the crowd as if we were feathers. Everyone was smiling, singing along or just attentively listening and enjoying ... and the dancing at the end was such fun. I am exceedingly proud to be a Glendale resident. Owning my home here since 1970, I have seen nothing quite like what Americana has brought to town.

CITY HALL — Redevelopment agency members unanimously approved design changes for the Americana at Brand development on Tuesday and commended developer Rick Caruso for keeping the momentum going on the center. The agency OKd modifications on everything from building elevation to a proposed water feature for the $324-million, 900,000-square-foot mixed-use project expected to open in March 2008. "It gets more exciting every time we see it…. It's like a resort," said Glendale resident George Thomas, one of several community members who spoke in favor of the project and its changes Tuesday.

It was a new take on Santa Thursday night at the Americana at Brand's fourth annual tree lighting ceremony, with aerialist and acrobatic performances putting a modern stamp on classic characters like the Nutcracker and toy soldiers. The “Cirque du Santa” event featured fireworks, music and the big man himself, Santa Claus, as the mega-outdoor mall heralded the holiday shopping season. The 100-foot-tall white fir was covered in 10,000 lights and 15,000 ornaments for the occasion.

Americana at Brand developer Rick Caruso wants to expand his 15.5-acre retail center and is gunning for two adjacent properties to do it. Caruso is angling to acquire the Golden Key Hotel at 123 W. Colorado Blvd. and an adjacent building. He would replace them with 60,000 to 140,000 square feet of new retail space, landscaping and a plaza. “It’s an important last piece of the puzzle because it really rounds out that corner there,” Caruso said. “We have $400 million invested in the Americana.

I wanted to respond to your editorial ("Redefining 'blighted,'" Dec. 4) criticizing Glendale's consideration of Rick Caruso's plan to expand the Americana at Brand. The properties in question are located in a redevelopment area, which was created to improve the city's economic base. Neither the hotel nor the one-story vacant brick building are doing that. In fact, I recall when the hotel used to be a Best Western and (in my opinion) in much better condition than its current state.

I read with interest your Jan. 18 letter titled "What public benefit would come of Caruso's quest?" Really? You can't think of anything? Glendale, like most cities in our state, is swimming in red ink, and with our newly elected governor threatening more cuts including debating the existence of redevelopment, deficits will grow. The city of Glendale could be facing an $8-million deficit next year, even after painful cuts. Just think how much worse it could have been, if not for the city's vision to redevelop downtown and support Rick Caruso in his efforts to build the Americana at Brand.

Glendale a smoke-free city? What a joke! Everywhere I look in Glendale people are smoking. On the street, in front of the market, in their cars, at the Americana - everywhere. Don't even get me started on all the cigarette trash and butts that litter our streets. To call Glendale a smoke-free city is complete hypocrisy. I laughed out loud when I read in this paper that the city council was voting on whether or not to move smoking sections on patios at restaurants five feet. Five feet?

A 43-year-old Glendale man was banned from the Americana at Brand and Glendale Galleria after police say he was caught using his cell phone on Monday to photograph the buttocks of girls and women. Paul Martin Birkeland was arrested and released at the scene on suspicion of annoying children and photographing a person for sexual gratification without their consent after he allegedly admitted to masturbating to the images, according to police. He could be arrested for trespassing if he is spotted at the malls, according to Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz.

Last week, I watched with delight and surprise a one-minute video that hit the Internet this month under the title, "Hello Glendale. " Complete with filters that gave a dreamy green tint to L.A.'s iconic palm trees, the ceremonious pouring of alcohol and scenes of bowling, roller skating and cycling in the city, it made me see Glendale in a completely new light - dare I say, a really cool light. The video and website of the same name - which carries the tagline "Let's Get Acquainted" - was so hip, so smooth, that I started to wonder who could have been behind this production.

Glendale's main street, Brand Boulevard, needs a better mix of retail tenants if it's ever going to promote more pedestrian traffic and coax people out of the Americana. Let's see, a law office, a dentist, two copy stores, a thrift store, a corset shop, a beauty school where you can watch students perform $5 haircuts or sit in their chairs looking bored out of their minds? Yes, there is a Starbucks, but it's the smallest and most cramped one you will every find. And of course, several empty store fronts.

If Teri Hatcher could snag a few items from her own celebrity yard sale, they would include a cashmere sweater from Ellen DeGeneres' closet and a pair of "really sexy" high heels from "Modern Family" star Julie Bowen. "Hollywood is definitely a generous community," the "Desperate Housewives" actress said of the stars - from Al Pacino to Gwen Stefani - who donated to her Juvenile Arthritis Assn. fundraiser at the Americana at Brand Saturday. "And everybody likes a yard sale. " PHOTOS: Yard sale at Americana at Brand hosted by Teri Hatcher   While shoppers could bid on a signed portrait of Jason Alexander in his underpants in a cracked frame or peruse booths selling cupcakes and designer clothes, there were no old lampshades or hand-me-down dishware.

Though surrounded by the shops, residences and restaurants that make up the Americana at Brand, the park in the middle is a public one, and is at risk of being sold by the state as Glendale's redevelopment agency winds down. To protect the popular green space, the City Council unanimously voted this week to take advantage of a state rule that allows former redevelopment properties - like the park and the Alex Theatre - that are for “government use” to be transferred to the city's books.

Ever wanted to own something that previously belonged to a celebrity? Teri Hatcher's celebrity yard sale and auction on Saturday offers up that chance.  Hatcher is to preside over the sale of new and used items from stars includng Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi, Vanessa Williams, Al Pacino, Jason Alexander, Ray Romano, Katey Sagal and more. Proceeds are earmarked for the Juvenile Arthritis Assn. The event is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Americana at Brand, 889 Americana Way, Glendale.  There's an entry fee of $25, which includes food, drinks, kids activities and live music.

Nordstrom - the high-end retailer that has come to life on a prominent corner of the Americana at Brand - will open on Sept. 20, officials announced Wednesday. Americana officials also announced that two big-draw restaurants will open in the outdoor shopping mall within a year. The Americana is also making $60 million worth of improvements along Brand Boulevard to create a grand lobby entrance leading to Nordstrom as well as street improvements such as landscaping and lighting, according to Rick Caruso, founder of the Americana's owner, Caruso Affiliated.

Many are familiar with the good works of the Cabrini Literary Guild, especially directed to Catholic charities. But what may be less known are the departments that allow a more personalized experience of philanthropy and socializing. There's the Book Reading Club, the Bridge Department, the Busy Fingers' Department, the Mannequin Department and the Philosophy Department. On Nov. 20, only two days before Thanksgiving, six intrepid souls gathered in the Burbank apartment of Philosophy Department Coordinator Sister Regina Palamara.

It's officially Christmas time at the Americana at Brand, where on Sunday night the switch was flipped on thousands of lights covering the giant white fir towering over the outdoor shopping mall. The spectacle -- accompanied by dancing snowmen, fireworks, “flying” reindeer -- wowed a crowd that at one point apparently reached capacity, with some people reporting on Twitter that they had been turned away after the fire marshal cut the inflow of people. The more than 100-foot-tall white fir Christmas tree, which rolled into the Americana prior to Halloween, was covered with thousands of lights and ornaments for the “Cirque du Santa” lighting ceremony, with acrobatics provided by  Zen Arts.