A fight over a new development in suburban L.A. accentuates not only the tenacity and bitterness of local politics, but also two radically different visions for 21st century retail: large enclosed shopping malls or smaller New Urbanist templates.
Rick Caruso, developer of the wildly popular Grove shopping complex in Los Angeles wants to build a similar one in the San Gabriel Valley. Unfortunately for him, the current owners of nearby Westfield Santa Anita Mall aren't so happy about his plans to enter the market.
Deeper than the superficial local political infighting is the underlying tension between two types of large scale shopping experiences:
"Land-use experts and urban planners see it as a battle between two ways of shopping: large, old-fashioned enclosed malls versus newer, smaller, open-air shopping centers that have a Main Street feel."
Thanks to Antonio Valla
FULL STORY: Mall Operator Wages Fight Against a Grove-Style Project
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