TOWN CENTER CLEARS KEY HURDLE GLENDALE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY APPROVES REVISED PLANS.

Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer

GLENDALE - The city's Redevelopment Agency unanimously approved revised plans Tuesday for the $172 million Town Center project, agreeing that developer Rick Caruso had responded to concerns by city officials, residents and the Glendale Galleria.

The changes included pushing back a parking lot north of Harvard Street to create a landscaped walkway connecting Brand Boulevard and Central Avenue - a pedestrian-friendly design the developer said would energize Brand Boulevard.

``Shoppers are looking for a new outdoor, interesting experience and more customers will be coming into this area ... and will spill over onto Brand and activate Brand,'' Caruso said.

The Redevelopment Agency is committing $60 million to the project.

The revised plan for the project, to be located between Central and Brand north of Colorado Boulevard, drew widespread support, including backing from the city's Chamber of Commerce, the Glendale Hilton and residents.

But representatives of the Glendale Galleria, who have objected to plans to close Harvard Street to traffic and contended the complex fails to link with surrounding business, were dissatisfied with the changes.

``We're frustrated that they don't address the fundamental planning concerns we've expressed since late last year,'' said Carol Jacobs, group vice president of management for the Galleria. ``Town Center should be ... a street that connects the center to the Galleria, not the inward, self- contained center walled off from the rest of downtown Glendale.''

Councilman Dave Weaver accused the Galleria of trying to block the development and said he expected the retail giant to take the matter to court. Jacobs, however, denied that and said Galleria officials looked forward to continue working with the city and Caruso.

And, Jacobs said, the mall was prepared to invest millions of dollars to build high-end restaurants and shops on Central Avenue - across from the Town Center. Mall officials also would submit their ideas for Town Center development within 60 days, Jacobs said.

Bill Holderness, developer of The Exchange on Maryland Avenue, called for the city to hire a consultant to evaluate the project and its potential impact on nearby businesses.

``This could have an adverse effect on Brand, the Marketplace and the Galleria, and you're paying him $60 million to do it,'' Holderness said.

But city officials and Caruso contended throughout the meeting that the only way to prevent the city from losing tax dollars to Pasadena and Burbank was to keep up with the times.

``Efforts to protect what is here by keeping out what is new only leads to the demise of what exists,'' City Manager Jim Starbird said.

The city will also consider a pedestrian bridge across Central between the Galleria and a Town Center parking structure and a trolley that would connect the center to the mid-Brand area.

After further fine-tuning, the project is expected to be put before the City Council for approval and construction is expected to begin sometime in the first three months of next year, Caruso said.

Naush Boghossian, [phone]

naush.boghossian(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

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Map:

Town Center development site

Proposed Galleria Mall restaurant/retail area on Central Street

Planned pedestrian bridge

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