Glendale Retail Project Gets Initial Approval

The Glendale City Council approved various aspects of a $264-million retail and residential complex early Wednesday morning, but did not resolve a crucial zoning issue raised by representatives of the Glendale Galleria who oppose the development.

The 15.5-acre project is being proposed by developer Rick Caruso, who built the Grove next to the Farmers Market in Los Angeles. The project, renamed the Americana on Brand, would be an outdoor complex in the center of Glendale’s commercial district.

Hundreds of residents filled Glendale’s City Hall on Tuesday evening. After hours of presentations and public comment, the five-member council voted at 3 a.m. to approve unanimously the environmental impact statement and the project’s design.

Councilman Frank Quintero, who opposes the center’s design, was the only dissenting vote on two other items: the financial arrangement between the city and Caruso, and planning entitlements, which deal with housing and street closures on the site.

At its next meeting on Tuesday, the council is set to vote on the zoning of the area. The measure would need a unanimous vote to pass after General Growth Properties, which owns the Galleria across the street from the project, filed a formal protest.

An entity representing at least 20% of the development’s neighbors has the right to require a unanimous vote to change zoning adjacent to its property.

The city may override the rule if it chooses to include the development in a downtown rezoning plan. Such a move could take months, but Caruso could demolish old buildings and grade the land during that time, said Philip Lanzafame, Glendale’s assistant director of development services.

Caruso and General Growth said they would not back down from their positions. Caruso has filed an antitrust suit against General Growth, and there are signs that the Galleria owners would challenge the environmental impact statement in court.

Amy Forbes, an attorney for General Growth, said the Galleria stood to lose more than $4 million a year if the Americana on Brand was built because the development would cordon off vehicle access to the Galleria.

Caruso disagreed, saying his project would bring more regional shoppers into the area and provide the Galleria with more customers.

The development, scheduled to open in January 2006, would include a two-acre park, 100 condominiums, 238 rental units, five restaurants and 50 retail stores.