Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Caruso’s Palisades Village mall, saved by private firefighters, eyes early 2026 reopening
Los Angeles Times ^ | April 2, 2025 3 AM PT | Clara Harter

Posted on 04/02/2025 2:38:56 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

Rick Caruso announced his aim to reopen Palisades Village — the luxury shopping and dining center that he saved from the Palisades fire’s path of destruction by hiring private firefighters — in early 2026.

The billionaire real estate developer shared the projected timeline in an interview with ABC7 this week.

The 25,000-square-foot shopping center and its 42 businesses — which include a Chanel, Saint Laurent and Bottega Veneta — remained largely unscathed in the fire, suffering mostly from smoke damage. Many of the structures around it, meanwhile, were razed.

His early 2026 reopening timeline for Palisades Village is likely months, if not years, ahead of the recovery timeline for other Palisades businesses and homes that have been reduced to rubble. But he told the station he hopes getting the Village reopened as soon as is safe and reasonable will give the community a reason to return.

A total of 6,822 structures were destroyed in the Palisades fire, including more than 5,500 residences and 100 commercial businesses, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Caruso attributed the Village’s survival to the hard work of private firefighters, the water tenders they brought in and the fire-resistant materials used in the mall’s construction. The $200-million shopping and dining center opened in 2018.

However, he has faced criticism for using private firefighters to defend his mall and home by people concerned about the inequity these crews highlight and the possibility that they could pull water resources away from public firefighters.

Caruso defended his actions in his interview with ABC7 News, calling it “the smart decision to do.”

We protected our property and we also freed up L.A. fire resources to go protect other properties, so we were very much independent and we were...

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: california; fire; mall; palisadesvillage
However, he has faced criticism for using private firefighters to defend his mall and home by people concerned about the inequity...

Before I even read it I knew the article would bleat about "inequity" because of unequal distribution of misery caused by a guy who had the gall to prepare for catastrophe himself instead of depending on the government to do it for him, and I was right.

1 posted on 04/02/2025 2:38:56 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

I hope he re-runs for mayor.


2 posted on 04/02/2025 2:42:49 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

You’d think people could figure out that the use of private firefighters means better service for the public overall.

But the real problem is that One Party Rule in LA is so incompetent that it’s necessary for people to have to contract out for routine public services.


3 posted on 04/02/2025 2:42:51 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CondoleezzaProtege

No, treated the commie Karen Bass with kid gloves. He was afraid to go after her, and besides, he’s a demonrat.


4 posted on 04/02/2025 2:45:57 PM PDT by Fungi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

Speaking of Rick Caruso, from 2022...

https://laist.com/news/politics/2022-election-california-general-live-results-los-angeles-city-mayor-bass-caruso

“...The contest was a virtual dead heat on Election Night. Caruso pulled slightly ahead last Thursday, but since then Bass gained a steady lead...”

Sound familiar...?


5 posted on 04/02/2025 2:50:27 PM PDT by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Fungi

I’m a Dem.

BTW, why would Deep State go to the trouble of stealing an election if both candidates were Deep State...?


6 posted on 04/02/2025 2:51:40 PM PDT by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: mewzilla
Sound familiar...?

Forget it, Jake. It's California.

7 posted on 04/02/2025 2:53:19 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Democrats are the Party of anger, hate and violence.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: mewzilla

Your question is a non sequitur.


8 posted on 04/02/2025 2:58:03 PM PDT by Fungi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Fungi

No, it’s not.

What’s in question is whether or not Caruso is Deep State.

I’d argue that, so far, evidence suggests he isn’t.

If I lived in CA, he’d have my vote.


9 posted on 04/02/2025 3:01:03 PM PDT by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

Deep State is delighted to see you post that.


10 posted on 04/02/2025 3:01:54 PM PDT by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

When I lived in LA, I loved going to the Palisades. I swore I would live there some day, but had to return to the midwest to care for my mom. It is so sad and maddening what happened to the residents - I am glad I escaped Bass and Newsom.


11 posted on 04/02/2025 3:04:43 PM PDT by peggybac (“You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality.” - Ayn Rand)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mewzilla

I have no idea why you took offense to that.

I was merely making a joke about how corrupt California politics is.

Evidently you disagree.


12 posted on 04/02/2025 4:22:40 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Democrats are the Party of anger, hate and violence.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

WHERE IS HE GETTING PERMITS????


13 posted on 04/02/2025 4:52:29 PM PDT by ridesthemiles (not giving up on TRUMP---EVER)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

Interesting story of the clean up. He lives in the area.
75% of the people are having U.S. Army Corps of Engineers do the cleanup.
They work with private contractors. The video below show how big the operation is. 13,000 building burned.

Adam Checks Out the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - The Adam Carolla Vlog
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX5Q1B_Sd1o

Adam Carolla Checks out the Clean Up Process - Adam Returns to Malibu Part 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG_39UKaU64

Adam Carolla Returns to Malibu Part 2 - The Adam Carolla Vlog
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZNeMIYBmds

The Adam Carolla Vlog - Adam Returns to Malibu Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7w4fmr4MQ4


14 posted on 04/02/2025 11:25:25 PM PDT by minnesota_bound (Need more money to buy everything now)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson