One Month to Americana

It's still the worst-named shopping center out there (well, other than Westfield's insistence in calling all of its malls "Westfield"): The Americana at Brand.

But what the hell... we're hoping the arrival not only injects a little more excitement and status to Glendale, but perhaps juices property values as well.

The L.A. Times checks in on how things are going. For starters, Glendale residents are concerned about the coming traffic -- but that's balanced by their interest in seeing this thing finally open:

Some critics are quick to point out that traffic from the Galleria and other shops can already bring Brand Boulevard to a crawl. But backers argue that the residential portion of Americana might prompt those residents to walk to shops in the area rather than drive.

Glendale is looking longingly to the Grove, an earlier Caruso development near 3rd Street and Fairfax Avenue in L.A. that is one of the more admired outdoor shopping plazas in the region.

Caruso, in an interview Monday, said the Americana could have an even bigger effect on Glendale, because the 15.5-acre project is much larger and includes housing.

"As great as the Grove is," he said, "this is a pretty remarkable project."

Where the Grove is meant to evoke 1940s Charleston, S.C., the Americana is meant to remind consumers of an even earlier time: "A massive elevator shaft, with exposed steel beams, is supposed to hearken back to the industrial era, said Executive Vice President Dave Williams of Caruso Affiliated. A trolley that loops around the project and onto Brand is from 'a little bit earlier era' than the Grove's trolley, which travels back and forth along a linear track."

Caruso also added a few touches that came out of his experience with the Grove: The central courtyard, for example, is much larger. And stores have more of a unique identity, as opposed to looking too mall-like.

Glendale officials are optimistic that Americana shoppers will spill out onto Brand, and help revitalize that street as well. I'm not as optimistic; people have a way of not exploring environs outside of their intended destination. We'll see. The Americana at Brand opens at the end of April.