Whatever we do has to be better than “Diridon Station Area, ” the clunky bureaucratic name used by San Jose officials.
A couple of weeks ago, I put the challenge to readers to come up with a better name for the new Google site in San Jose than the Diridon Station Area, the clunky bureaucratic stand-in now appearing on city documents.
The contest struck a chord. I got well more than 300 suggestions, often multiple ideas from the same person. Today’s column is the second step: I’ m inviting readers to vote among the top three names chosen by my committee of friends and ink-stained wretches.
Before getting to the final three, a word of explanation: We largely cut names that referred explicitly to Google, like “Googleville,’ ’ which may yet prove to have public sticking power.
No deal has been reached between the city and Google for the development, which is expected to have as much as 8 million square feet of office. Technology changes constantly. Google may be something else in 30 years.
To my chagrin, there was no groundswell from my judges for some of the most inventive and memorable names we received from readers.
I’ ll admit to a fondness for “Pigdance,’ ’ submitted by Mark Landefeld of San Jose. It plays off the Stephens Meat Packing sign near Montgomery and San Fernando streets.
And I liked reader Mimi McDonald’s idea of “Pepe’s Urbano,’ ’ which means “Joe’s City’ ’ in colloquial Spanish. As San Josean McDonald notes, it’s fun to say out loud.
The San Jose Downtown Association submitted an intriguing idea just after my judges returned ballots. It suggested “GoJo,’ ’ a mix to reflect motion and Jose, or “GoDo,’ ’ with the “Do’ ’ referring to downtown. You could see the success of the “SoFA’ ’ (south First) name in their idea.
Seth Emerson, a San Jose resident since 1965, suggested “Crossroads.’ ’ “It has a funky suburban flavor to it and describes the area (though hardly suburban, now) ,’ ’ he wrote. (Emerson adds that Kansas City has a “Crossroads’ ’ area but the name is not local.)
The second finalist is “The Junction,’ ’ which was suggested by Landefeld and another San Josean, Dmitriy Afanasyev. “All of the West and beyond is accessible from this small area,’ ’ Afanasyev told me. “Which road will you pick at the Junction?’ ’
The last finalist is “The Rail Yard,’ ’ submitted by David Cohen, the former publisher of the Silicon Valley Community Newspapers. I’ ll let him explain why he chose it:
“I’ ve been visiting cities my entire life and have watched districts in New York, London, and Boston and many other places evolve and transform from utilitarian sections of town to gentrified or artistic havens,’ ’ he wrote. “The Meat Packing District in New York came to mind, as did the Tobacco Dock in London.’ ’
“The Rail Yard spoke to the past and the future,’ ’ Cohen added. “A high tech campus with plazas or yards and amenities to serve the live/work/play environment.’ ’
I have a favorite among these three. But I’ ve done enough of putting my foot on the scale. The next step is yours. Go to www.mercurynews.com/scott-herhold to vote for your choice. I’ ll follow up with a column announcing the winner.
The public, of course, may decide to give the area its own nickname. But whatever we do has to be better than “Diridon Station Area,’ ’ which has already been transmogrified to “Diridon Station Area Plan,’ ’ or D-SAP. Vote now. There’s no time to waste.
