“Institution Belt” sounds so stark and empty. Really though, this neighborhood is full of life. Disregarding the hospitals, this district contains some of the most vital residential portion of the Capitol Hill area. Well, at least in my opinion, since I live here. Perhaps we could rename this the Cal Anderson Neighborhood.
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I agree about the “Institution Belt”. And I’m also not the biggest fan of “Fancy Pants” as there are lots of fancy pants areas on the Hill, especially in the North. Of course, I don’t LIVE in Fancy Pants, so I must be biased in that way. :)
Maybe we could put this out to the readers. See what they’d call the different areas and then have a vote?
I agree, there are multiple areas of Fancy Pants on the Hill. An online vote would be good.
Good discussion. On one hand, I really like having some fun names for places in the mix. On the other, some are a bit mean and slightly obscure. One ‘out’ I have is that instantjournalist has a feature that lets people self-identify their neighborhood name when they contribute content. So, basically, they can call their area anything they want. What I’m thinking about sticking with, here, is a set of names for neighborhoods to define the content categories but another layer of names created by users. It’s a little confusing, I know. But i really relaly really want to organize by place, not topics like ‘restaurants’ or ‘crime.’
Still thinking it out and am open to suggestions. Maybe best thing would be to stubbornly stick to the neighborhood categories but just give some areas better names — like change Institution Belt to Cal Anderson.
I think I just don’t want to admit that I live in the middle of the crazy-end of the hill.
Since I’m part of the team who made the map on which these names are based, I think I should chime in on the origins. I’m pretty sure we spend 80% of the time thinking of what to call the neighborhood that became the Institution Belt. We were at Joe Bar, the Chimay was cheap and flowing, and we were feeling snarky. Most of the rest stem from inside jokes (which we never thought would be the basis for a neighborhood blog!), so I definitely support opening up the naming rights to the masses. Although, I have to admit that I adore I-5 Shores. (Hey, City!)
Perhaps a Capitol Hill Sub-Neighborhood Map Off?
“Pike Pine” is across the street from where I live. I may self-identify with that ‘hood if “Institution Belt” sticks.
I like Cal Anderson for a ‘hood name.
“I-5 Shores” is a stroke of brilliance. I’m on a personal mission to work it into common vernacular. It’s that good!
Especially good ones!
I would vote for that as a hood name. “cal anderson hood”. i like that.
This map is excellent.
Humbly put forward “Radio Point” as a distinct district in “Hilltop South” — south of Howell between 15 & Madison. I live there and I mean, who wants to be Hilltop North’s South Dakota?
We at Radio Point are a distinct area. Like it or not our watering hole swirls around the free coffee sample at Trader Joe’s and the Men’s Room on Madison.
I like the name “MadCap Meadows”. Mad-Cap isn’t being used for the Farmer’s market anymore. Although MadCap by itself is kind of plain, Mad-Cap Meadows gives just the right sense of pastoral silliness.
Beyond the “Madison/Capitols” geographic designation, the name captures the spirit of the neighborhood. There ARE a lot of institutions; but what better response to living or working near hospitals, fire stations, schools, and halfway houses than to welcome a little madness into our lives? What choice do we have, really?
More importantly, this is the neighborhood traversed by most Hill dwellerson their way back from partying in Pike/Pine and points west. Madcap Meadows is the place to find plenty of moonlit antics.
To be fair, I’d like to see MadCap Meadows extend south past Madison to Union Street. This would embrace venerable Capitol Hill institutions” like CCs,Madison Pub, Martin’s, Piecora’s, Chop Suey which are currently excluded fromour neighborhood map. So I’d chop off the tip of Pike/Pine at 13th, and then extend MadCap Meadows south to Union Street between 13th and 18th.
That’s my idea anyway.
I like Mad-Cap although I’m not sure what the “meadows” par refers to. The name suggests a border region so it makes sense that it could extend south of Madison. (@ Bart I meant to give you multiple stars but didn’t know how the clicker worked)
The “meadows” refers to Cal Anderson park, I guess. :)