urbanMSP

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.

Is it really useful to say that this place and this place are in the same neighborhood? The latter is what I think of as Elliot Park; low-rise and mostly pre-war. What is the value of stretching that brand all the way north to 6th or 5th, or even (mostly) north of 8th?

I don't know. Setting aside the lingering quasi-governmental functions neighborhoods have, neighborhoods exist to help identify and brand an area. Just as there's little real value in dividing up very similar areas into different names (pop quiz: draw the boundaries of Longfellow, Cooper, and Howe without looking at a map), I don't think it makes sense to force two very different areas under the same umbrella. This area (high-rise) will develop differently from either the Mill District (mid-rise) and Elliot Park (low-rise), and I think that alone should be enough to warrant a new brand.

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.

Is it really useful to say that this place and this place are in the same neighborhood? The latter is what I think of as Elliot Park; low-rise and mostly pre-war. What is the value of stretching that brand all the way north to 6th or 5th, or even (mostly) north of 8th?

I don't know. Setting aside the lingering quasi-governmental functions neighborhoods have, neighborhoods exist to help identify and brand an area. Just as there's little real value in dividing up very similar areas into different names (pop quiz: draw the boundaries of Longfellow, Cooper, and Howe without looking at a map), I don't think it makes sense to force two very different areas under the same umbrella. This area (high-rise) will develop differently from either the Mill District (mid-rise) and Elliot Park (low-rise), and I think that alone should be enough to warrant a new brand.

The 2nd streetview link is actually RIGHT in front of my home (I live in the one that's under construction in the streetview), and I would most certainly consider them to both be the same neighborhood. my area with it's duplexes and brownstones is actually just a small part of the overall Elliot Park neighborhood IMO. Just because it has the same name doesn't mean the entire area has to look the same.

Just because it has the same name doesn't mean the entire area has to look the same.

No, but it certainly helps.

Planners and urbanists get awfully caught up on specificity of names. When I lived at 34th and Dupont I said I lived in Uptown. Did I live in Uptown? Apparently not, according to some official definition somewhere. But I lived in Uptown nonetheless. I currently live in Cooper, which is part of Greater Longfellow, and sometimes I do explain to people that I live in Cooper, which is just south of Seward and north of Longfellow. But most of the time I just say I live in Longfellow. Why? Because people know what that means in a general sense.

Just remember that it could be worse...

Nashville has SoBRO

Naw, 34th & Dupont is def Uptown.

According to Craigslist marketing, so is 24th and Blaisdell.

The more this discussion goes on, the more obvious it becomes that it should stay Downtown East.

If you think about the actual words being proposed — town, village, ville, loop — they're fundamentally the same word as downtown. The only difference is that the new words have no history in the neighborhood and are marginally less descriptive.

And the age old argument of, "But there's not a Downtown West!" applies equally to our lack of a West Town, West Village, Westville and, arguably, West Loop. Plus, what's worse, old people complaining about our uneven Downtown East-West Directionals, or new people complaining about our unfinished system of Cardinal Direction Loops? The answer is clear.

And the age old argument of, "But there's not a Downtown West!" applies equally to our lack of a West Town, West Village, Westville and, arguably, West Loop. Plus, what's worse, old people complaining about our uneven Downtown East-West Directionals, or new people complaining about our unfinished system of Cardinal Direction Loops? The answer is clear.

According to Google Maps, Downtown West is a place: https://www.google.com/maps/@44.9774881 ... 719,15.66z, the heart of downtown...

I don't know. Setting aside the lingering quasi-governmental functions neighborhoods have, neighborhoods exist to help identify and brand an area. Just as there's little real value in dividing up very similar areas into different names (pop quiz: draw the boundaries of Longfellow, Cooper, and Howe without looking at a map), I don't think it makes sense to force two very different areas under the same umbrella. This area (high-rise) will develop differently from either the Mill District (mid-rise) and Elliot Park (low-rise), and I think that alone should be enough to warrant a new brand.

this is interesting, because if you aske me it should stay Downtown East because that name uniquely describes the architecture of the area (or lack thereof). Growing up I just called the whole area downtown, but I started saying Downtown East because it refers to a specific place, the stadium and its environs. And for all my life this has been parking lot city, whitch differentiated it from Elliot Park and the Mill District, whitch have more density. It's an Area East of Downtown that has its own situation going on and is unique in that respect.

I just hope it doesn't get with a SoHo-ism, or some embarrassing bullSh--t about scandinavia. For christs sake! Minneapolis has so far dodged the bullet with completely ham-fisted names. At least we didn't pick one of the ones that referenced newspapers.

I don't know. Setting aside the lingering quasi-governmental functions neighborhoods have, neighborhoods exist to help identify and brand an area. Just as there's little real value in dividing up very similar areas into different names (pop quiz: draw the boundaries of Longfellow, Cooper, and Howe without looking at a map), I don't think it makes sense to force two very different areas under the same umbrella. This area (high-rise) will develop differently from either the Mill District (mid-rise) and Elliot Park (low-rise), and I think that alone should be enough to warrant a new brand.

this is interesting, because if you aske me it should stay Downtown East because that name uniquely describes the architecture of the area (or lack thereof). Growing up I just called the whole area downtown, but I started saying Downtown East because it refers to a specific place, the stadium and its environs. And for all my life this has been parking lot city, whitch differentiated it from Elliot Park and the Mill District, whitch have more density. It's an Area East of Downtown that has its own situation going on and is unique in that respect.

I just hope it doesn't get with a SoHo-ism, or some embarrassing bullSh--t about scandinavia. For christs sake! Minneapolis has so far dodged the bullet with completely ham-fisted names. At least we didn't pick one of the ones that referenced newspapers.

Spot-on...totally agree!

I don't know. Setting aside the lingering quasi-governmental functions neighborhoods have, neighborhoods exist to help identify and brand an area. Just as there's little real value in dividing up very similar areas into different names (pop quiz: draw the boundaries of Longfellow, Cooper, and Howe without looking at a map), I don't think it makes sense to force two very different areas under the same umbrella. This area (high-rise) will develop differently from either the Mill District (mid-rise) and Elliot Park (low-rise), and I think that alone should be enough to warrant a new brand.

this is interesting, because if you aske me it should stay Downtown East because that name uniquely describes the architecture of the area (or lack thereof). Growing up I just called the whole area downtown, but I started saying Downtown East because it refers to a specific place, the stadium and its environs. And for all my life this has been parking lot city, whitch differentiated it from Elliot Park and the Mill District, whitch have more density. It's an Area East of Downtown that has its own situation going on and is unique in that respect.

I just hope it doesn't get with a SoHo-ism, or some embarrassing bullSh--t about scandinavia. For christs sake! Minneapolis has so far dodged the bullet with completely ham-fisted names. At least we didn't pick one of the ones that referenced newspapers.

Spot-on...totally agree!

Before the Metronome, on most urban planning maps, it was called "blighted area." After the Metrodome, it was called the "Metrodome" and surface parking lot (i.e.; modified blighted area). You have to go back to the 1950's before you can show the area in question to actually be light industrial and fully operational as a train hub. Lets not kid ourselves, many of the more classical buildings being retrofitted were for a long time on deaths door in serious need of major renovation and a blight themselves. I think its great that many are being brought back.

With all the renovation and large scales development outside the stadium / Wells Fargo / park area however, why not just leave it with its soft designation of "East Downtown" - for now - until the area develops its own personality and, from there, an organic name.

^ yup, that whould be great, but I'll bet the Superbowl Planning Committee wants something more snappy than east downtown.

I don't think the Superbowl planners have anything to do with the name. It's just kind of a thing that Wells Fargo, Vikings and the East Downtown Council wanted to do.

I don't think the Superbowl planners have anything to do with the name. It's just kind of a thing that Wells Fargo, Vikings and the East Downtown Council wanted to do.

"Superbowl Planning Committee" was a sarcastic Euphemism for the powers that be. The corporations redeveloping the area and the City that is. They want a cool brand so they can make an absolute Sh#tload of cash. I'm sure the vikings and all these real estate developers whould be beyond thrilled if minneapolis go some nationally or internationally recognized neighborhoods, and branding is probably part of that.

I think they should call it "Stadium Village West" in honor of the most prominent landmark.

The area was originally called industry square before the metrodome was there.

East Town. Yay.

Remarkably, the collective hive mind managed to pick the least offensive of the embarrassing names that were under consideration.

East Town! It's sexy!