No need to travel 28 miles to Santa Monica for the Armani Exchange, or about 8 miles to Old Town Pasadena for closest Urban Outfitters.

With a staff of approximately 1,700 construction workers, Caruso Affiliated did not waste a minute building the 15.5 acre Americana at Brand in the heart of downtown Glendale. The new development will feature 75 retail stores, 338 residential units, restaurants, theater and a two-acre public park.

The Americana is set to open May 1, with a grand opening party. It is located 233 S Brand Blvd., adjacent to the Glendale Galleria, between Brand and Central.

The 475,000-square-foot outdoor plaza will include retail stores such as Armani Exchange, Juicy Couture, BCBG Max Azria, H&M and many more. There will also be a Cheesecake Factory, Katsuya restaurant, and Pacific Theaters 18, all surrounding a public park called The Green, with a centered fountain. It was said to combine a combination of The 3rd St. Promenade, Old Town Pasadena and The Orange Grove.

However, Caruso took the project to a new level, beyond the typical shopping center, by adding condominiums and luxury apartments on th property. With more then 1,000 people applying for the 100 available spaces, the market will be competitive as tenants are chosen for Excelsior condominiums.

The five-star complex will include luxurious private patios, fitness clubs, a full time concierge, walk-in closets and balconies with views of Los Angeles, the mountains and downtown Glendale.

The move-in date for these condominiums is set for June 1, with prices to be announced later this spring. The smallest units will be 1,306 square feet with two bedrooms and two bathrooms each, while the largest units are at 2,632 square feet. with up to three bedrooms and 2 1/2 bathrooms .

For those looking to rent one of the 238 apartments, deposits of $250 to $500 are required to hold the units. The largest apartments with two bedrooms and 2 1/2 bathrooms are 1,928 square feet. The move-in date for the apartments is scheduled for May
2.

These resident areas are pet friendly with a monthly pet rent and a $1,000 security deposit. Americana also is a non-smoking environment.

With all the commotion focused on the building of the Americana, neighbors and residents are concerned with the effect this will have on traffic. According to construction manager Tom Veje, the Americana will have 3,500 parking spots for the retail stores and 350 more for the residential community.

“It’s going to be a traffic nightmare, not only will we have to deal with parking situation at the Galleria, the Americana will also add to the 30 minute cruise in hopes of finding a parking space,” said nearby resident Diana Hodges, 19.

There’s also apprehensiveness with General Growth Properties Inc., owner of the Glendale Galleria. Construction took off after Caruso’s win against the mega-million corporation, and since then General Growth has been fighting Caruso Affiliation with lawsuits and trials as a means of halting the project.

However, after defeats by both California Court of Appeals and Los Angeles Superior Court, General Growth dismissed the suits. Construction began November 2006, according to Veje.