Anderson Yards: The Neighborhood Name With An Added Dose Of Righteous Indignation

Anyone who’s worked at a newspaper knows the importance of putting out an honest product. Usually this means just doing good reporting and considering all the facts. In some cases, this means adding “balance” to the paper by letting one op-ed columnist attack another or printing right- and/or left-wing bullshit.

And then there’s yesterday in the Inquirer, where the biz section ran a story on Will Do fave Brad Maule and his website, Phillyskyline. Perhaps nodding to Maule’s part in the popularization of G-Ho, the Inky also ran this op-ed piece from someone who really hates the name G-Ho.

Jeremiah Scalia wants to call the neighborhood Anderson Yards, after Marian Anderson, the famous singer born in the neighborhood. He says nobody has a name for the neighborhood, even though he later writes many people are familiar with G-Ho.

Anderson Yards is also the name of the ballfield on Fitzwater. It’s actually a pretty good name, and it was made in exactly the same way as G-Ho: Scalia and his friends came up with it! (They even have, uhm, a Friendster page.)

Shortly after learning this, while visiting with friends who live at 18th and Fitzwater Streets, across from Anderson Yards, the impressive baseball field, the topic drifted to our nameless neighborhood. Someone suggested that the entire neighborhood take the name of the landmark Anderson Yards. That way, the whole neighborhood could pay homage to this great singer. (Many in my circle of friends and neighbors have since begun referring to the neighborhood this way.)

Recently, though, another name has emerged and it seems to be becoming popular. It’s G-Ho, for Graduate Hospital, built in the 1970s, between South and Lombard Streets.

I find this supposedly hip name to be contextually sterile. It is essentially rootless and cultureless. The g might as well stand for gentrification. Anderson Yards, by comparison, has a true identity. I’ve spoken with many new residents and it is unfortunate that most have never heard of Marian Anderson, but they all seem quite familiar with G-Ho.

Ahh, I see that stupid people are moving into the neighborhood, ones who somehow don’t know who Marian Anderson is. But, hey, you know what sounds better than G-Ho? Gentrification Ho! Aw, man, that’d be a great name for the neighborhood. Gentrification Hoooooooo!

Eyes on the city’s skyline [Inquirer]
Why not call it Anderson Yards? [Inquirer]
Anderson Yards [Friendster]