Glendale officials back Americana expansion plans

The owners of a hotel and vacant building adjacent to the Americana at Brand will have 45 days to negotiate a sell price with developer Rick Caruso, submit their own plans for redevelopment, or face possible eminent domain proceedings.

Push turned into shove Tuesday after Caruso, owner and developer of the Americana, pitched plans to the City Council for expanding his 15.5-acre mega-mall.

Acting as the Redevelopment Agency, the council on Tuesday approved a plan to push the neighboring property owners to negotiate sales of their buildings to Caruso or work up their own plans for the intersection of Colorado and Orange streets — and gave them 45 days to do it.

Caruso said he would like to make the adjacent properties, which include the 55-room Golden Key Hotel and vacant building, part of the Americana at Brand, adding between 60,000 and 140,000 square feet of retail space, landscaping, a fountain area and a pedestrian walkway from Colorado Street into the mixed-use center.

Henry David, who owns the empty 7,500-square-foot building at the edge of the Americana, indicated he would be willing to sell, his only concern that “we are treated fairly.”

And while Ray Patel, owner of the Golden Key Hotel, also said he would consider selling, he added that a mid-priced hotel is an important asset for the city and that he would like to keep it open.

“I don’t feel like I should be bullied into anything,” Patel said.

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