They’re at it again, messing with the South Loop. Developers may have failed in their all-out effort to brand the neighborhood as SoLo in the 1990s, but this time they’re trying for “River South”, and they’re even bringing in some big guns, P.R. firm Cushman / Amberg Communications, to help out. Developer D2 Realty Service Inc. is the driving force behind the mooted name change according to a story in today’s Crain’s Chicago Business. The new name would apply to the area bounded roughly by Congress Parkway and Clark, Canal and 18th streets. D2 apparently plans to build a 300-unit high-rise on Clark just north of Roosevelt. The story features an amusing interview with a guy who works at Big Stick Productions, the firm that produces a map of Chicago neighborhoods. He says that he’s been waylaid by geographically-challenged developers and real estate agents in the past, including one group who wanted to rename Old Town Triangle “Lincoln Gold”. Oh and some guy once apparently offered the company a grand total of $75 to add “West Bucktown” to the map.
But hey, some of these names end up sticking – look at River North.
Yo wants to hear your thoughts (and suggestions?) about insta-neighborhood names.
I don’t know why Crain’s had to take a shot at Buena Park to open the article. I’m defending my ‘hood over at the Uptown blog. In case I lose that battle, I’ll suggest all neighborhoods get renamed based on the “Heart of Chicago” model – I’ll start lobbying for “Gall Bladder of Chicago” to replace Uptown.
While I unfortunately live in Wrigleyville – technically – I am trying to get the section of Wrigley north of Irving Park and south of Montrose to be called Joan’s-town in honor of the most famous resident of our little area.
I think that section already has a name – Uptown.