Lot 8 Naming Options
- Thread starter Cofifa
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Times Square became known as such when the New York Times located itself there at the beginning of the 20th century. I cannot tell whether the name was a popular one, or designated by the City. Bryant Park got that name in 1894 it is named after the poet and editor William Cullen Bryant.
Times Square
Times Square
The city offered to name the intersection Times Square as an incentive to get the New York Times to locate their offices there.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
Posted from Rivals Mobile
I know at lest part of the Times Square area where the TKTS booth is at is actually Duffy Square . They finally cleaned the statue up a few years back and redid the area. It honor Father Duffy and the Fighting 69th Irish Brigade.
I just don't think a name is needed. Just let it open and let students come up with something for it.
Every suggestion on here is too contrived. Who cares if Simeon Dewitt was our first graduate. No one has any affiliation to him w the school. The union pl stuff has no bearing as the park will be closed off from that street. With the exception of those who were Greek prior to the mid-00s very few have a connection to that road.
Most scarlet names are too hokey too. If you're going to call it something, tie into relevant history through a name people assoc w the school (cough Col rutgers), something queens related or something related to the city.
Every suggestion on here is too contrived. Who cares if Simeon Dewitt was our first graduate. No one has any affiliation to him w the school. The union pl stuff has no bearing as the park will be closed off from that street. With the exception of those who were Greek prior to the mid-00s very few have a connection to that road.
Most scarlet names are too hokey too. If you're going to call it something, tie into relevant history through a name people assoc w the school (cough Col rutgers), something queens related or something related to the city.
IMHO, then they need to go get a donor. Because that's what well-supported schools do. Name it after whoever ponies up. Otherwise call it Scarlet Square or something generic, because it has no historic significance (as noted, our naming it something colonial would be as ridiculous as the plaza in Orlando and the square at Hofstra), its just some new modern buildings with streaming ads on a video board.
SAVBS... Hmm, I guess students will have to get inoculated before they move in to this residence. And a body condom (with the Rutgers logo) probably wouldn't hurt either
Not at all. I went to Johns Hopkins, certainly a well-supported school. And while Mike Bloomberg was able to buy his name on a building there, there are also many buildings and sites named for people who did not donate. For instance, I lived in a dorm named for Woodrow Wilson, who as far as I can tell never did anything for Hopkins other than be a student there.
The thing with naming places is you have to hold out for the right price and not give away naming like they did with the pharmacy school. A space like that shouldn't be named for less than $10 million. You could name the individual buildings for less but the entire complex or the square area (because that's what it will be known as and is the high traffic area) shouldn't go for less. Without a donor you might as well go for a name with some actual meaning to the school.
Along those lines, when Princeton knocked down Palmer Stadium and replaced it with a new stadium in the late 1990s they were looking for something like $20-25 million for naming rights. When no one came forward with the required amount they opened it as Princeton Stadium and said that will be the name until someone is ready to pay the $20+ million. Also, when Princeton built a new residential college about 7 years ago, Whitman College, I recall Meg paid something like $30 million to get her name on it. Actually, that doesn't seem like that high a price.
Here you go. It was called "Longacre Square" before the NYTs moved there in 1904.
This post was edited on 7/10 12:27 AM by RU-ROCS
NYC Changed Name for NYT's
I still would argue for the historical context of Red Lion Square. It sounds regal and I think avoids the "kitschyness" of some of the other historical options that have been suggested. Or maybe we could name it after the 19th century Japanese students so that we can brag that we celebrated diversity before it was cool?
Someone asked if there was to be a sculpture. I think there is to be a large cast iron knight on horseback somewhere around this lot.
Someone asked if there was to be a sculpture. I think there is to be a large cast iron knight on horseback somewhere around this lot.
Over at the Devco Facebook page Jeffrey D. Milden offhandedly called the soon to be grassy square @ Lot 8 the Grease Truck Plaza. I get a good chuckle every time i think of that name and think that students, faculty and staff would too. Not only does it address the Rutgers history of the site but it isn't so pretentious that students would ignore it (like when they renamed the RAC the LBAC)
As I read through this thread I was first thinking of stuff Scarlet Knight-ish.. like "The Keep", "Knight Court" and then thought the whole "town square" or "village green" thing could be colonial.. I think DeWitt Square or "green" would be good.. but I think one hearing it would just assume its some wealthy alum and not really question if there is historical significance involved.
Might be best to have it a generic name until a big donor steps forth or someone else worthy of having their name honored in such a way.
Many schools have allowed trampled foot paths to detail where walking paths should be paved through grass between buildings/quads. Why not let the students generate an organic name over time and run with that?
Why would anyone think an "organic" name would be any better than a name that was given from the start?
As in the difference between the Commuter Student Center as opposed "The Ledge"? Or Campbell, Frelinghuysen, and Hardenbergh vis a vis "The River Dorms"?
Not sure which side of the argument that supports.
Clearly it shows that, sometimes, if a "natural name" is going to come about, there is nothing that can be done about it. It has to be called something other than "Lot 8", right? We should not take the chance that the "natural name" is just the name they learn it by from the outset.. like almost every building at Rutgers as opposed tot he few examples that are known by other "natural names".
Good examples of names that emerged but I don't think it exactly establishes a track record. In fact, are we certain that those are truly organic names? When the dorms open were they already referred to as the River Dorms? I don't know but I am curious. For example the new RBS building is using "The Rock" as a nickname. I'm not sure how well received it has been by RBS students but it's not really an organic name as it is a given nickname.
Bishop Beach was certainly a name evolved but it basically went from Bishop Campus to Bishop Beach. I hope that Holy Hill will remain in use. But there are plenty of given names that are great too like Voorhees Mall and Old Queens.
I've heard the new apartments on Livingston referred to as the "Livi apartments" - there's an example of an organic name - not so good in my book.
And there are other examples of places that basically got no name at all. What exactly is the Engineering quad known as? I don't think it has an official name and unless its an engineering secret I don't know of a great organic name that has emerged. What about the space between Tillet and Lucy Stone?
I think with a space that has been hyped as a major gathering place for students at the heart of the historic center of campus you have to give it a well thought out name. A better nickname may emerge but I think it would be odd to talk up this great new public space but not give it some kind of name.
This post was edited on 7/22 1:00 PM by Scarlet Pride
I assume Hamilton Street is named for Alexander Hamilton, who we know defended Washington's retreat from the hill overlooking the Raritan.
Since Lot 8 is on Hamilton Street, why not work Alexander Hamilton into the name? Of course that means the chance to boot the Hamilton name for a donor's name at a later date might be touchy.
Since Lot 8 is on Hamilton Street, why not work Alexander Hamilton into the name? Of course that means the chance to boot the Hamilton name for a donor's name at a later date might be touchy.
Photo of the scale models of DeWitt Square posted on FB
Quick thoughts...
The lawn looks to be stepped in style - I like it
I get the sense that the big screen may not be so obtrusive if it's not always running programming
I'm still concerned about the finishes on the buildings - starting to look like the style of the Livingston apartments which are nice but will most certainly be a contrast to Old Queens and Voorhees Mall - it may be a good contrast but definitely concerned
And the scale still worries me but that's a lost battle - so hoping for a great project even with the massive buildings
This post was edited on 8/7 12:01 PM by Scarlet Pride
Lot 8 model
Quick thoughts...
The lawn looks to be stepped in style - I like it
I get the sense that the big screen may not be so obtrusive if it's not always running programming
I'm still concerned about the finishes on the buildings - starting to look like the style of the Livingston apartments which are nice but will most certainly be a contrast to Old Queens and Voorhees Mall - it may be a good contrast but definitely concerned
And the scale still worries me but that's a lost battle - so hoping for a great project even with the massive buildings
This post was edited on 8/7 12:01 PM by Scarlet Pride
Lot 8 model
If its not always running programming then it wouldnt be there. Aside from the middle of the night expect it to always be on,and it if not, they should have invested in a removable solution.
yes - it does have the generic non-collegiate look of the Livingston apts (although thye have more of a mid-level hotel chain look than a mid-level new urban apartment look.)
I think the stepped look in the model is just because that is the typical way architectural models use cardboard to show ground elevation changes. I would be very surprised if the lawn was stepped instead of an incline.
