As if the Americana at Brand shopping center wasn't big enough, developer Rick Caruso reportedly wants to expand the place. The Los Angeles Times reports that Caruso wants to take over two properties on Colorado Street and make them part of the shopping center.
Caruso sent a letter to the city's redevelopment agency stating that he would like to acquire the Golden Key Hotel and a vacant building across from the current shopping center, the Times reported. He says that it's his wish to purchase the properties directly from their owners, but if that does not work, he may ask the city to take them by eminent domain and sell them to him.
"It's an important last piece of the puzzle because it really rounds out that corner there," Caruso told the Glendale News Press. "We have $400 million invested in the Americana. We would like to invest more in Glendale, and I would like to have those properties that are not now part of the Americana become a part of it."
Caruso mentioned that he already has interest from retailers that they cannot accommodate in their current space, and plans to house them in a building up to 140,00 square feet where the hotel and vacant building are now.
Rakesh "Ray" Patel, owner of the hotel, filed a lawsuit against Caruso and the redevelopment agency in 2008. The lawsuit citied that his business was damaged by dust, noise and traffic related to the construction of the mall, which eventually caused the hotel to lose its Best Western title.
