urbanMSP

I guess it was only a matter of time before someone tried to claim East Loop, what with the other loops already spoken for.

East Town sounds fine.

All of those names are flat-out embarrassing.

Does anyone actually think this area needs a new name?

At least Vikingsville isn't in the mix. Everyone is going to keep calling it downtown east anyways. I think East Town is the least annoying of the few. Who are they embarrassing?

How about this: let the name get decided organically. People will call it what they want to call it. Put up the fancy signs after people have a chance to get to know the place and decide what to call it.

Downtown East is pretty damn boring. East Loop has context, because of North Loop.
But the whole loop thing is pretty much lost on most.

How about this: let the name get decided organically. People will call it what they want to call it. Put up the fancy signs after people have a chance to get to know the place and decide what to call it.

Exactly. That's how uptown came to be. No grants or studies needed.

Actually, Uptown *was* a deliberate branding effort by businesses in the '50's I believe.

Actually, Uptown *was* a deliberate branding effort by businesses in the '50's I believe.

I think it was actually closer to the 20's. But yeah, business owners were trying to capitalize on the popularity and recognition of Chicago's booming Uptown neighborhood and so rebranded the area, including the theater (which was originally the Lagoon.)

There's nothing wrong at all with this area trying to find a marketing identity. But all of these are pretty forgettable.

It would be pretty strange for all the Cardinal Direction Loops to be downtown except the South Loop, though.

As discussed previously, this part of town already has two distinct names (and two distinct personalities) that people already know: the Mill District and Elliot Park. No need to reinvent the wheel. The only thing that really needs a proper name is the Commons Park, which would then cover the area immediately in front of the stadium.

I actually wouldn't mind if they just called that entire area the Mill District, given the historical context of the city and the proximity to the river and the old mills...

Perhaps we could take some inspiration from the infamous online poll for the christening of a British research ship? I certainly wouldn't mind living in "Easty McEastface".

SoFa McSoFaface

The neighborhood formally known as Downtown East

Brandingberg and Ye Olde Consultant Towne still tied a couple hours into the official poll on this issue

https://twitter.com/nickmagrino/status/ ... 7642269697

The neighborhood formally known as Downtown East

That may sound cloche but its actually kind of clever.

Downtown East is still better than all of those names, maybe minus East Loop.

Don't worry though, this'll manage to wind up as EaDo to match WeDo.

EaDo! EaDo! EaDo!

WhoDo EaDo? WeDo!

Am I one of the few people who actually thinks of the greater Mill District - Elliot Park bubble as "Downtown East" - mostly because that was the name of the LRT station for the past decade? Keep Downtown East.