CARUSO TAKES EARLY LEAD MALL VOTE MARGIN SLIM ON ABSENTEES.

Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer

GLENDALE - Supporters of developer Rick Caruso's $264 million Americana at Brand outdoor mall project held a narrow lead over opponents late Tuesday as election results began rolling in.

More than 12,000 residents voted by absentee ballot and the early returns indicated about 51 percent support for Measures A, B and C and about 49 percent opposed them. The tally was so close that only 56 absentee votes separated the supporters over the opponents of Measure C.

``The absentees are close, but that's what we had predicted would happen, but as the latest numbers show, the margin is widening,'' Caruso said. ``I'm confident we're going to be victorious.''

Voter participation for the special election was high with more than 12,000 absentee ballots submitted to the city and at least 5,000 voters going to the polls. The city has about 85,000 registered voters and regular Glendale elections typically draw about 18,000 to 22,000 voters, officials at the city clerk's office said.

Opponents continued to remain optimistic that they would prevail, opposition campaign spokesman Arthur Sohikian said.

``Right now the numbers are too close to tell, but even though we know the 'yes' side would outspend us 2-to-1, we feel Glendale voters are seeing through their campaign of distorting the facts and misleading the Glendale voters, and we look forward to seeing how the numbers continue to come in,'' Sohikian said.

Plans for the development by Caruso Affiliated Holdings call for four ``mini-anchor'' stores, stadium-seat movie theaters, a midrange store like Pottery Barn, smaller retail stores, 238 apartments, 100 condominiums and about two acres of park space.

The three measures on the ballot challenged zoning decisions by the City Council on the 15.5-acre dining, shopping and housing complex to be located next to the Glendale Galleria.

The City Council unanimously passed the ordinances in April after the Redevelopment Agency unanimously approved Caruso's plans in July 2003.

But General Growth Properties, owners of the Glendale Galleria, led a petition drive forcing a citywide vote on the project, the first referendum in Glendale's history.

Galleria officials argued the Americana at Brand center, in which the city would invest at least $77 million, would be incompatible with surrounding businesses, would worsen traffic and was too costly for the city.

The city maintained its investment, which supplements Caruso's $170 million investment, is fair and necessary to turn a blighted area that produced little tax revenue into a vibrant part of downtown.

Caruso has spent at least $1.8 million to defend his development, while General Growth spent at least $1.5 million. The campaign included print ads, television commercials, direct mail, telephone polls and campaign consultants.

Both sides hired some of the nation's top campaign consultants, including those who worked on George W. Bush's presidential campaign as well as that of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

``We've never seen anything like this before and we'll never see anything like this again - a national campaign being run at the local level,'' said veteran City Councilman Dave Weaver.

The project has been one of the most divisive in the city's history and filled with drama.

General Growth began actively opposing the project in August 2003, launching a community public relations campaign.

As part of its challenge, company officials submitted to the city an unsolicited counterproposal for the project that called for less retail space, more housing and more emphasis on links to the Galleria.

Then in March, Caruso - whose previous projects include the successful Grove at Farmers Market, the Calabasas Commons and The Promenade in Westlake Village - angrily walked off, stunning supporters and city officials. He returned to the project 10 days later.

Two lawsuits have been filed over the project.

One by Caruso in February alleged that General Growth threatened and intimidated tenants he had lined up for his project and said that the mall giant tried to force his company to partner with them and divide tenants between the Galleria and Caruso's project.

In May, General Growth filed suit against the city, challenging its approval of the environmental impact report for the open-air mall, saying it didn't adequately reflect problems like traffic and parking.

Caruso had hoped for a spring 2006 opening.

Naush Boghossian, [phone]

naush.boghossian(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, 2 boxes, map

Photo:

(1 -- color) Project developer Rick Caruso

(2 -- color) no caption (AMERICANA AT BRAND)

(3) Developer Rick Caruso, left, and Glendale Mayor Bob Yousefian celebrate early returns Tuesday night at the Glendale Hilton.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) AMERICANA AT BRAND

SOURCE: City of Glendale

Warren Huskey/Staff Artist

(2) GLENDALE

Map:

Proposed site of open-air development