GALLERIA SEEKS CHANGES IN CENTER.

Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer

GLENDALE - Glendale Galleria officials presented City Council members with their counterproposal for the Town Center project - calling for less retail space, more housing and more emphasis on links to the shopping mall.

The Galleria plan, presented Tuesday to the city manager, assistant city manager and four individual councilmen, is a proposal that mall officials volunteered because of concerns over developer Rick Caruso's plans for the $172 million retail, housing and park project.

``They've done a whole plan themselves and are ready to build it,'' said Councilman Dave Weaver. ``It's quite apparent that the design is meant to be a lead into the Galleria.''

Galleria officials contend the Town Center complex, which will receive about $60 million in city subsidies, is too self-contained and fails to link with surrounding businesses. Mall officials also object to the plan to close Harvard Street to traffic.

Caruso's 16-acre project, next to the Glendale Galleria between Central Avenue and Brand Boulevard, would have a large retail store such as Target, stadium-seat movie theaters, a mid-range store like Pottery Barn and smaller retail stores, 238 apartments, 100 condominiums and two acres of park space.

City Councilman Bob Yousefian said that the Galleria's counterproposal has about 100,000 square feet less retail space than Caruso's proposed 375,000 square feet, the park space is the same size as in Caruso's proposal, and a 14-screen theater on the second floor would replace Caruso's planned 16-screen complex.

Yousefian said he liked the mall's proposal for 100 additional housing units for sale and fewer units for rent.

``I thing General Growth has a lot of good ideas. I think if they get together with Caruso and exchange ideas, the project will be better,'' Yousefian said.

Caruso Affiliated Holdings had no comment on the counterproposal.

The city's Redevelopment Agency approved Caruso's plan in July.

As part of a compromise, Galleria officials have proposed investing millions of dollars to build high-end restaurants and specialty shops that open on their side of Central Avenue.

Mall officials arranged for the meeting Tuesday to present their plans to city staff members, and they are scheduled to present their plans at the redevelopment agency meeting Sept. 30.

``Their vision considerably changes the character and nature of the existing plans,'' said City Manager Jim Starbird.

City officials will ask its staff and Caruso Affiliated Holdings to look over and thoroughly review the nall's proposal.

Carol Jacobs, group vice president of management for General Growth Properties, said mall owners will continue to work with the city.

``We continue to work with the city to create a Town Center that benefits the residents of the entire city and the people who shop there,'' Jacobs said.

Grace Lee, [phone]

grace.lee(at)dailynews.com