Americana at Brand

Infobox shopping mall
shopping_mall_name = Americana at Brand

---

image_width = 250px
caption = American at Brand sign
location = Glendale, California
address = 889 Brand Blvd
Glendale, CA 91210
coordinates =
opening_date = May, 2 2008
closing_date =
developer = Caruso Affiliated
manager =
owner = Caruso Affiliated
architect =
number_of_stores = 75
number_of_anchors =
floor_area =
floors = 4
parking =
website = [http://www.americanaatbrand.com/ www.americanaatbrand.com]
footnotes =

Americana at Brand is a large outdoor shopping community in Glendale, California. The site is owned by Caruso Affiliated, a real estate development of many other projects such as The Grove at Farmers Market in Los Angeles, CA. Americana at Brand has 75 retail shops and a variety of dining options. The Americana includes 100 condominiums and 238 apartments.

The Americana project stirred debate in Glendale for four years; with some merchants fearing the Grove-style "lifestyle center" would hurt businesses for stores along Brand Boulevard and in the Glendale Galleria. Some residents worried about overdevelopment and traffic.Citation | last = Mia DiMassa | first = Cara | title = Glendale set to welcome once-disputed development | newspaper = Los Angeles Times | year = 2008 | date = April 1, 2008 | url = http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-americana1apr01,1,5287829.story]

Both The Americana and The Grove are organized upon the idea of a city center -- with a mix of architectural styles, building heights and materials used, as well as vast open spaces at the projects' center. Caruso Affiliated often sets their developments in place and time. The architectural style of the Americana is meant to reflect the industrial era, including a massive elevator shaft with exposed steel beams, in contrast to The Grove, which is based on 1940s Charleston, South Carolina. The Americana at Brand is much like The Grove in that it is designed to appear like a public space, but is private property, and is protected as such. However, the two-acre park in the center of the complex is entirely public property, further blurring the line between public and private space. Even though the park is public, the policy is that personal photography, other than that of friends or family, is forbidden. The private security force that patrols the grounds is quick to stop guests from taking pictures. Security also restricts the size of dogs that one may bring into the mall and to the park. cite news |title= Owners of Big Dogs Growl Over Pet Policy at Glendale Mall |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2008/05/big-dog-owners.html |publisher= "Los Angeles Times" |date= May. 13, 2008 ]

The project opened to the public on May 2, 2008.cite news |title= 'The Grove' Developer Opens New Open-Air Mall In Glendale |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24434725 |publisher= "MSNBC" / "KNBC"|date= May. 3, 2008 ]

Attractions

In addition to Americana at Brand's upscale shops, restaurants and movie theater, the outdoor mall features "Waters of Americana," an animated fountain by WET. The musical fountain, located in the central landscaped park, performs every half hour, though a non-musical program runs between shows. A gold-leaf statue, chosen by developer Rick Caruso, rises from the center of the fountain's smaller pool. The statue is a replica of Donald de Lue's 1949 "Spirit of American Youth" sculpture in France, a memorial to Americans who fought at Normandy in WWII. [cite web | url= http://wetdesign.com/wetdesign.html
title=WET News | publisher=WET Design | accessdate=2008-06-02] The statue also serves as the icon for The Americana at Brand.

An internal transit system uses an electric-powered trolley car to shuttle visitors through the main square and around the perimeter of the complex.

References

External links

* [http://www.americanaatbrand.com/ Official Website of the Americana at Brand]