Paseo Beats the Plaza

Nicolai Ouroussoff’s critique of Pasadena’s new Paseo Colorado (“Pasadena’s Paseo Colorado: Shopping for Reality, in Vain,” Nov. 9) was unnecessarily harsh and a bit myopic.

Yes, as with any new urban shopping space, the development seems “soulless,” “prefabricated” and “sterile.” Yet he fails to mention that its sterility pales in comparison to its unlamented predecessor, Plaza Pasadena, which was the very model of a late-century bland and personality-free American mall.

Far from being indistinguishable from “any airport terminal in America,” Paseo Colorado has restored the visual and spatial connections to the rich architectural heritage of its surrounding neighborhood.

NICK DURUTTA Pasadena