Americana signs may confuse drivers, official says

DOWNTOWN — City officials on Tuesday expressed concern that address signs for Americana at Brand retailers reading “Americana Way” and posted on facades fronting Brand Boulevard and Central Avenue will confuse drivers.

But Americana developer Caruso Affiliated says the signs were part of a parking plan the city approved.

Most of the ground-floor retail and residential entrances on Brand Boulevard and Central Avenue are assigned addresses on Americana Way, the street that lines up roughly with Harvard Street at Brand Boulevard and snakes through the development as a pedestrian walkway.

But since the 15.5-acre development occupies the 200 block and a portion of the 100 block of South Brand Boulevard and South Central Avenue drivers may think they’re no longer on either street as they drive past the mega-plex and see repeated Americana Way addresses, city officials said.

“My concern is someone driving on Brand trying to find South Brand will get to that block, look over and say, ‘Uh-oh, somehow I’ve gotten on Americana Way,’ and the same thing can happen on Central,” City Manager Jim Starbird said. “I think that’s a serious issue . . .”

Caruso Affiliated defended the signage on Tuesday as aspects of a comprehensive address plan that was fashioned with city oversight and approval.

“It’s driven by the address plan that the city and the Fire Department approved because the internal street is Americana Way, so that street continues all around the inside of the property around the stores,” said Rick Caruso, president and chief executive of Caruso Affiliated.

But city officials who fear the signage could easily create confusion for drivers, also see it as a problem that should have an easy fix.

The city’s Development Services Department and Americana Developer Caruso Affiliated have engaged in preliminary discussions about the address signs, and will likely put their heads together and arrive at a “creative solution,” Development Services Director Philip Lanzafame said.

Starbird and City Councilman Ara Najarian, who first raised the address issue on Tuesday, said they were echoing correspondence from concerned Glendale residents.

The signage could be the first of many unforeseen issues with the $435-million project to cause residents to flood the e-mail in-boxes of city officials with concerns.

Adams Hill resident Andrew Daly, for one, is looking to the City Council to tone down the Americana’s lighted sign and spire — perhaps the project’s most distinctive contributions to the Glendale skyline — that have recently started to illuminate the city at night.

“It’s 2.2 miles away from our house and it’s really, really bright, and the colors are just sort of constantly changing,” said Daly, whose living room boasts a wide view of the city.

“Our television can’t compete for focus with the constantly changing lights of the tower.”

But Daly’s recent light show may not be what’s really in store for him once the project opens. For about the past week, Americana engineers have been testing the project’s lights, including a multicolored feature that will be choreographed with a “dancing fountain,” Caruso said.

“I haven’t heard from anybody voicing a concern but it’s just beginning,” Caruso said.

“I haven’t even seen the final layout of those yet. They’re still working on it.”

 RYAN VAILLANCOURT covers business, politics and the foothills. He may be reached at (818) 637-3215 or by e-mail at ryan.vaillancourt@latimes.com.