Americana Round Up

Condos to start in the low $700,000s, and cap at over $2,000,000! From the Glendale News-Press:

While the same approximately $2-million investment could fetch some of the most luxurious single-family residences, equipped with pools, private yards and up to five bedrooms in the Glendale hills, Caruso says that built into the price tag of an Americana condo is a lifestyle and living experience that’s beyond comparison to other properties in the regional market.

“It’s a different world now out there because there is nothing like the Americana or the Excelsior to compare it against, not only the quality of the units and the way they’re fitted out, but also to be in the environment where you’ve got the restaurants, you’ve got a park to be at, and it’s all in this beautifully landscaped, safe environment,” Caruso said.

I'm sure the Americana is lovely, but it's utterly absurd to imply that the rest of Glendale is somehow lacking restaurants, parks, and a beautifully landscaped, safe environment. As if you couldn't possibly have access to these amenities without dropping over a million dollars.

Another pet peeve: why Americana AT Brand? Doesn't Americana ON Brand make more sense and sound less forced? In conversation, you'd say that it was on Brand Boulevard. It might as well be called the "Americana At Colorado", since it's on Brand...at Colorado.

Developer Rick Caruso gives Steve Lopez a sneak preview in the Times:

"We worked our way up to an apartment with a bird's-eye view of Caruso World. From a broad balcony, we took in a perfectly manicured park -- children's play area included -- called the Green. A full-grown sycamore is one of more than 500 trees on the property. You shut down the freeways at night, Caruso explained, and truck in your ready-made forest."

The landscaping does look incredible.

The Americana now has an official blog with quite a few pictures. Here's a sample post, referring to an outdoor crystal chandelier:

In a word... stunning! Suspended in mid air, this gorgeous crystal chandelier takes The Americana at Brand from unique to chic. Handcrafted from 1,200 dazzling Czechoslovakian crystals, this one of a kind outdoor chandelier will set Caruso Avenue ablaze!!! Guaranteed to become a photo op fav!!!

LOL OMG!!!

The park at the center of the Americana, "The Green," is owned by the City's Redevelopment Agency. Because of this, the City Council is reviewing an urgency ordinance to make it abundantly clear that Glendale PD is able to take enforcement action against trespassers. Since the park is publicly owned, Constitutional rights to speech and assembly, which have often been swept aside as part of the trend towards privatizing public spaces, will remain intact. As an American, I sincerely look forward to the first anti-war protest and Scientology pamphleteers.