Americana at Brand
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The Americana at Brand sign | |
| Location | Glendale, California |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34°08′38″N 118°15′23″W / 34.14389°N 118.25639°WCoordinates: 34°08′38″N 118°15′23″W / 34.14389°N 118.25639°W |
| Address |
889 Americana Way Glendale, CA 91210 |
| Opening date | May 2, 2008 |
| Developer | Caruso Affiliated |
| Owner | Caruso Affiliated |
| No. of stores and services | 75 |
| No. of floors | 4 |
| Website | The Americana at Brand |
The Americana at Brand is a large outdoor shopping community in Glendale, California. The property was built and is owned and operated by Los Angeles businessman Rick J. Caruso and his company Caruso Affiliated. Caruso Affiliated has built and operates of many other projects including The Grove at Farmers Market in Los Angeles, CA. The Americana at Brand has 75 retail shops including, Barneys New York, XXI Forever, and David Yurman as well as a variety of dining options including Din Tai Fung, Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina, and Katsuya. The Americana at Brand includes 100 condominiums and 242 luxury apartments.[1]
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.[2]
Both The Americana at Brand 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.[2] 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 2-acre (8,100 m2) park in the center of the complex is entirely public property. The private security force that patrols the property, stops guests from taking pictures with professional photography equipment - unless they are permitted to do so. The Americana at Brand allows dogs on property - except on their grassy area (it's up to each store if they allow pets). The only dog restricted is the pit bull breed.
The project opened to the public on May 2, 2008.[3]
Shops and restaurants
The Americana at Brand shares some of its retail and dining options with sister center The Grove at Farmers Market, such as a three-level flagship Barnes & Noble as well as Barneys New York, J.Crew, Apple, Kiehl's, The Cheesecake Factory, Topshop Topman, and Anthropologie, and is anchored by a three-level Nordstrom. It also features a XXI Forever, a two-level H&M, Urban Outfitters, Calvin Klein, an 18-theater Pacific Theaters cinema, American Eagle Outfitters, and higher-end stores like, Tiffany and Co., David Yurman, and Marciano. Some of the restaurants at The Americana at Brand are local concepts, such as Frida Mexican Cuisine, Chi Dynasty, and Trattoria Amici, as well as internationally recognized restaurants including Din Tai Fung, and Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina.[4]
Attractions
In addition to The 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 hour on the 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 World War II.[5] The statue also serves as the icon for The Americana at Brand.
An internal transit system uses a battery-powered trolley car (built by the Gomaco Trolley Company)[6] to shuttle visitors through the main square and around the perimeter of the complex. The line was in operation from the opening of the Americana at Brand complex, in May 2008.[6] George F. McGinnis, a retired Disney Imagineer, designed the trolley cars.
Holiday season
During the holiday shopping season, fake snow is produced periodically every evening. In mid-November, a Christmas tree is displayed, and lit every evening, beginning with their annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. The tree remains lit every evening for the remainder of the holiday season. The tree is up to 100 feet or more, it is one of the tallest trees in Los Angeles County.
References
- ↑ "The Americana at Brand Luxury Apartments". apartments.americanaatbrand.com. Retrieved 2016-10-06.
- 1 2 Mia DiMassa, Cara (April 1, 2008). "Glendale set to welcome once-disputed development". Los Angeles Times.
- ↑ "'The Grove' Developer Opens New Open-Air Mall In Glendale". MSNBC / KNBC. May 3, 2008.
- ↑ Rodell, Besha (2014-03-26). "Michael Mina's Bourbon Steak Is Another Reason to Head to the Mall". Retrieved 2016-10-06.
- ↑ "WET News". WET Design. Archived from the original on September 18, 2007. Retrieved 2008-06-02.
- 1 2 Tramways & Urban Transit magazine, July 2008, p. 277. UK: LRTA Publishing.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Americana at Brand. |