Shopping malls as urban fortresses

I am writing in response to the Nov. 8 letter from Sherry Stubbs titled, “New Nordstrom design needs improvement.”

I wanted to point out that retail design in urban areas must adhere to certain defensive design guidelines. The perimeter of the store in most cases will be easily protected against civil unrest. That means few or no windows close to the ground, and small entrance doors with bollards installed closely together to protect them from ramming vehicles. And no flammable materials such as wood.

The design of the Glendale Galleria is similar to that of a fortress, with only a few places needing to be guarded if something were to happen. The Americana at Brand reminds me of circled wagons, with all the good stuff on the inside of the circle.

Anybody want to argue about whether Glendale is urban?

Greg Hiscott

La Cañada Flintridge