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Gayborhood Renamed In Secret Election, 13th Street Now Free Of Drugs And Transvestite Prostitutes
In recent years, 13th Street in Center City has become a bit more upscale. Gone are the loitering hookers and drug dealers, replaced by “no loitering” signs and other loitering hookers and drug dealers. But there is a Starr restaurant at 13th and Sansom, and a few other cool shops, so that means a turnaround. It’s been such a turnaround, businesses say, that the area needed a new name! Well, okay, Washington Square West doesn’t really fit when Rittenhouse Square might be closer. But what about the already established, descriptive name the area has: The Gayborhood? Well, that might not attract suburbanites and tourists with their money, so on election night, 61 business owners voted to re-name the area “Midtown Village.” Village? Midtown? Ugh. The other choices were New City, District 13 and B3, Blocks Below Broad, which sort of shows how they ended up with Midtown Village. District 13 sounds like some sort of futuristic prison block in a Kurt Russell movie. The voters did choose the best of a very ‘meh’ lot — hey, just like a real election! — so for that, they should be commended. But Midtown Village sounds like a gated suburban housing development. And how will we explain to tourists that Continental Midtown is not the Starr restaurant in Midtown Village? But, hey, the newly-formed business district has spoken, and Midtown Village (The MV, yo) it is. Perhaps it will catch on. (The MV! Yeah, I like this. “I’m headin’ down to the MV to see some art, get my nails down and buy an $8 martini.”) But I can tell you one thing: It’s no G-Ho. To raise a profile, it takes a… [Inquirer] |
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The only people who call the name election of Mid-Town Village “secret” took no time in gathering facts. A number of local business owners went door-to-door for months to every business in the 8 block radius asking for participation in a series of meetings which eventually led to name selection and logo choice. Much like any other area of the City, local businesses are the ones driving growth through increased traffic of consumers willing to spend their time and money in the given area. It should only be fair that those who actively devote their time, money, and personal commitment for area improvement be allowed to vote on and adopt any means of doing so more effectively. Only time would tell whether this proves effective, but taking examples of Old City, University City, Society Hill, etc, it should. In any case it beats empty criticism of those with no serious involvement.