Does East Downtown Need An Inane Made-Up Name?

[bachanon]

I'm still cringing at the name.

Indeed. Too much like "Sea-do", "eat-do.....do?". Is it do like doo or is it doe? Stupid. We aren't Manhattan. What's next? Is South Houston going to be "Soho"? Crap...probably shouldn't put that out there.

Like the renderings and location. Hate anything "eado".

[intencity77]

I neither love it or hate it but the "EaDo" name is not going away any day soon so the incessant complaining in almost every HAIF thread related to "EaDo" named projects or the EaDo area itself, is frankly, a waste of time. It's just a name, time to get over it and move on because it obviously isn't holding back any progress the area is making.

[little frau]

What idiot or group of idiots came up with that name anyway? 

 

Certainly not anyone who has lived in the east end for more than 5 years.

 

I suspect that it was someone in the GEEMD. 

[LarryDierker]

I feel this thread has gotten off topic.

[bachanon]

Are the apartments actually called "EaDo Station Apartments" or is that just a place holder for the graphics?  Is the station at this location actually called "EaDo" Station?  I wouldn't want to eat at any restaurants with a name that looked like "Eat-Do".

 

Is the area actually "Harrisburg"?  Why not go with a historic name?

 

Yes.  Off topic.  BAD MOD!  BAD MOD!!

 

This "East Side" development is very cool.  I am super happy that "Harrisburg" is coming back strong as my family worked in this area between the forties and the sixties.  I do not know that I would want to live so close to a stadium, I wonder if they soundproof?

[ArchFan]

I rather like the idea of keeping Harrisburg alive in some way.  However, isn't the area we're discussing actually located to the west of old Harrisburg?  If so, perhaps we should start a movement to call it "West Harrisburg" or "WeHa", instead of "EaDo"?  I think WeHa is more original and in any case is more fun because it sounds like "Yee-ha!"  :-)

[Subdude]

It was pointed out, and rightfully so, that discussions about projects in downtown were being hijacked by people (such as myself) that are appalled at the repellent name that has been attached to the area.  Therefore here's a new topic devoted to venting about it.

 

Edited to add a scientific poll.

 

 

 

[samagon]

the area is part of the 'downtown superneighborhood' it is east. east downtown makes sense from that point of view. eado does not, nor will it ever make sense.

 

I'd rather spend the extra money, buy all the vowels and call it east downtown. I'd rather it be called EDT, if it were to be given a ginned up name.

[LarryDierker]

Since I've never seen anyone say that they like the name,and I like rooting for the underdog, I've decided to start liking it.

 

EADO 4 Life!!!

[Howard Huge]

I liked it better when it was old Chinatown/Warehouse District

[little frau]

I kinda like East End or East Side.  That made up moniker sounds so phony and the folks over here might be a lot of things but phony isn't one of them.

 

I would still like to know who came up with the term "eado".  I don't believe that it could have been anyone that lives anywhere near Houston's east end.

 

I do know that we didn't get a flyer on our door knob or an email from the GEEMD about it.  Not sure how far "eado" reaches, maybe it's just meant for those areas closer to Dynamo. 

 

No matter, I still don't like it.

[clark030]

So how is it really pronounced? Doo, Doe, or Dow? 

[Subdude]

I kinda like East End or East Side.  That made up moniker sounds so phony and the folks over here might be a lot of things but phony isn't one of them.

 

I would still like to know who came up with the term "eado".  I don't believe that it could have been anyone that lives anywhere near Houston's east end.

 

 

I believe it was dreamed up by marketing consultants that were hired after the district was created.

[samagon]

So how is it really pronounced? Doo, Doe, or Dow? 

 

doh!

 

and Little Frau, when the name was first sung from the heavens on high, I was quick to find a map, the boundary of east downtown only extends as far as the rail line that goes to the west of eastwood. which is good for most east end residents, when someone asks if you live in eado, you can say 'oh God no!'

[Guest Jackwood]

Wow. Your lives really must suck a lot. I can't wait to get to EADO. I'm going to bring everyone I know to EADO. I love EADO. I can't wait to see what they build next in EADO. EADO Station is going to rock. I hope they change the name of the light rail line going through it to the EADO line. I want EADO to get it's own football team so that I can hear the name on t.v. 

[samagon]

Wow. Your lives really must suck a lot. I can't wait to get to EADO. I'm going to bring everyone I know to EADO. I love EADO. I can't wait to see what they build next in EADO. EADO Station is going to rock. I hope they change the name of the light rail line going through it to the EADO line. I want EADO to get it's own football team so that I can hear the name on t.v. 

 

I can only guess that by the defensive nature of your post that you either were on the committee that approved the name, or were a member of the committee that came up with the name. in either case, you did a horrible job.

 

if you're just a regular guy, I'm sorry to have assumed the above, but there's no reason to get so defensive about the name and how people make fun of it, it is a silly name, even if you like it, you should see that.

[HoustonMidtown]

I can only guess that by the defensive nature of your post that you either were on the committee that approved the name, or were a member of the committee that came up with the name. in either case, you did a horrible job.

 

if you're just a regular guy, I'm sorry to have assumed the above, but there's no reason to get so defensive about the name and how people make fun of it, it is a silly name, even if you like it, you should see that.

 

Im guessing/hoping his post was sarcasm brought on by the "outrage" this name seems to have created...

[infinite_jim]

Eado is in the East End as a sub-neighborhood that was more or less created with the construction of the Ballpark Lofts and the re-purposed Meridian nightclub in the early to mid 2000's. It's a name folks who live/work/play there recited to claim the area as their own nab separate but within the East End (and since no one actually lived here before in actual homes for decades prior). Who cares who coined the term; it's not an original name or anything clever but neither is the name Montrose (an aside, when Montrose became The Montrose it lost it's vitality and cohesiveness the same way Marigny did when it became The Marigny).

It's boundaries (clockwise) are roughly defined as Chartres to the west, Commerce to the north, then a jog along the rail line to the southeast, south along Dowling as the eastern boundary, and then west along St. Joseph pkwy as the southern bound. The freeways and the train tracks do a good job of hemming the nab together. It could theoretically expand east past St. Charles if gentrification continues although once you get to around Velasco St. the area subtly changes into Eastwood with it's more conservative lifestyle of town-homes and biking paths with less abandoned industrial and more active use industrial.

[Texasota]

People have called Montrose "The Montrose" since the 70's.

 

As for Eado? I always just call it Old Chinatown.

[infinite_jim]

People have called Montrose "The Montrose" since the 70's.

 

As for Eado? I always just call it Old Chinatown.

Exactly "The Montrose" is full of townhomes, noise complaints, and dog walkers for hire.

Montrose was full of gay bars, weekend gay bashers, and underage alcohol consumption.

edit:

Call it what you want but Old Chinatown doesn't get you very far past the Kim Son to me.

Edited October 9, 2013 by infinite_jim

[Texasota]

Um, like I said, since the 70's, which is exactly when the gay scene really exploded in Montrose. 

 

A better example might be "Neartown," but that never really went anywhere.

[Guest Jackwood]

I can only guess that by the defensive nature of your post that you either were on the committee that approved the name, or were a member of the committee that came up with the name. in either case, you did a horrible job.

 

if you're just a regular guy, I'm sorry to have assumed the above, but there's no reason to get so defensive about the name and how people make fun of it, it is a silly name, even if you like it, you should see that.

 

Yes. I invented EADO. It's my baby. I also invented SOHO, SCUBA, LASER and HAIF too. I plan to take over the world one acronym at a time.

 

Seriously, as long as they keep improving the physical appearance of EADO they can call it "Sewer City" for all I care (not really). Maybe it's just a coincidence, but ever since they starting calling it EADO and giving the area an identity, nothing but good things have happened. That area has been neglected for a century until someone decided to call it EADO. Whatever works.

 

Defensive? I don't care about the name. I can live with it. There is nothing in this world that can't be improved, but I'm definitely not going to lose any sleep over it. If you are, that's your problem.

Edited October 9, 2013 by Jackwood

[Naviguessor]

It's from All This Talk that the name is sticking. It's only chance of repeal is if we shut-up about it.

[mkultra25]

Yes. I invented EADO. It's my baby. I also invented SOHO, SCUBA, LASER and HAIF too. I plan to take over the world one acronym at a time.

 

EADO: SNAFU

[august948]

Exactly "The Montrose" is full of townhomes, noise complaints, and dog walkers for hire.

Montrose was full of gay bars, weekend gay bashers, and underage alcohol consumption.

edit:

Call it what you want but Old Chinatown doesn't get you very far past the Kim Son to me.

Old chinatown is almost to the point where they'll be putting up a historical marker so folks know where it used to be. Pretty soon it'll just be kim son.

Come to think of it, maybe we should start calling it the kim son district.

Edited October 9, 2013 by august948

[Guest Jackwood]

Great idea. 3 people from HAIF can call it the kim son district and the rest of the world will call it EADO, just like what the signs on the streets, parks and buildings are going to say.

[samagon]

I'll call it the area formerly known as old Chinatown, or afkaoc.

[little frau]

doh!

 

and Little Frau, when the name was first sung from the heavens on high, I was quick to find a map, the boundary of east downtown only extends as far as the rail line that goes to the west of eastwood. which is good for most east end residents, when someone asks if you live in eado, you can say 'oh God no!'

 

Well, thank goodness.  That's sure a relief!

 

So I did find a map (never thought to look before) and it's a bit sad to see the area is such a small little fraction of an area east of downtown.   Another tidbit I discovered (not that it was lost to anyone except me) is that the GEEMD which actually does cover the whole east end, is completely different from EDMD which is the district that created "eado".   The EDMD apparently did solicit names for their proposed new district and the best that polled folks could come up with was "eado". 

 

That's a bit sad too.

[little frau]

Um, like I said, since the 70's, which is exactly when the gay scene really exploded in Montrose. 

 

A better example might be "Neartown," but that never really went anywhere.

I lived in and around Montrose from '68 until '72 and I and my large circle of friends never called it The Montrose. 

 

It was just Montrose.  And yes, the gay scene was there, all over the place but granted, there were not as many bars and clubs. 

 

I  got married in '72 and moved from Montrose.  Maybe they added the "The" after I left.

[Subdude]

People have called Montrose "The Montrose" since the 70's.

 

 

That is probably correct.  I remember Montrose being called The Montrose as far back as the early 1980s.  I was never aware of any different connotations to the two terms; I just thought they were interchangeable.  Unlike Eado, at least The Montrose has at least 30 years of usage behind it.  That’s a lot more than, say, Uptown (at least in Uptown’s current location).  Long-established popular usage does carry some weight in these things. 

 

What especially gripes me about “Eado” isn’t that they set out to create a name for the district, it’s that they resorted to such a trite, hackneyed naming convention that has been used by countless other cities to designate neighborhoods that they wish to be seen as hip and arty (places like Orlando).  Copying a naming formulation that way is just so second rate-and striving, and a first-class city should be embarrassed to resort to it.  Even more amazing, people have been wanting a **Do area in Houston for a long time.  In the past there were proposals for NoDo and SoDo.  It’s like the city somehow wasn’t complete without one. 

 

What it makes me think of is an insecure teenager who worries about being cool, so he goes out and gets a tee-shirt that says “I’m really quite cool”.  He might think that people will buy it, and doubtlessly some will, but the real message that comes across is “I’m very shallow and insecure”.   

 

As the saying goes, if you try to make an impression, that’s the impression you make.  

 

 

 

I do like the Kim Son District though!  It's unique!

 

 

[Guest Jackwood]

Since we get to change the names of parts of town we don't like the sound of now, I have decided that we are going to start calling Myerland - "M-town" 

 

And since some people in the world have trouble pronouncing "Houston" I have decided that we will start spelling Houston, YOOSTUN.

 

Edited October 9, 2013 by Jackwood

[bachanon]

I think I shall start calling The Woodlands "TheWoo" or "TheWo" depending on my mood. When I'm in Sterling Ridge, I'll say I'm in WeWoo and when I'm in Grogan's Mill I'll say EaWoo. (sarcasm intended....)

 

Should the West side of Downtown now be called "WeDo"?  I'm hanging out in EaDo but then running over WeDo.  I'm still not sure if the "o" is an "oo" or a long "o" sound.

 

South of Bissonnett - SoBi

South of Memorial - SoMe

South of High Street - SoHi

East Montrose - EaMo  (I miss emo's.....EaMo is one neighborhood nickname that actually works)

 

I digress.  It's too easy to make up names.   How much thought went into "EaDo".  I'm told they used a public forum and a marketing firm to come up with the name.

[samagon]

yeah, I bet the public opinion was only to select between 2 or 3 options.

 

if eado was the best they came up with (the least worst), then so be it, but I'm actually really curious what the other options were, how bad could they have been that eado was the best?

[Subdude]

 

I digress.  It's too easy to make up names.   How much thought went into "EaDo".  I'm told they used a public forum and a marketing firm to come up with the name.

 

I think it was one of those cases where a public forum was just a fig leaf for public input when they were going to use what the marketing consultant came up with regardless.  You know, so they could claim that they considered the wishes of the public when they arrived where we all thought they would all along.  The brief to the consultants was probably something along the lines of "We want to denote a 'hip' and 'arty' neighborhood, with a name that ends in 'Do'.  See what you can come up."  

[august948]

The brief to the consultants was probably something along the lines of "We want to denote a 'hip' and 'arty' neighborhood, with a name that ends in 'Do'. See what you can come up."

To which the consultants responded, "We'll call it EaDo. Here's our bill for $100k."

[j_cuevas713]

Why cant we just keep it simple and call it what it is, THE EAST END!

[KinkaidAlum]

Let's Spanglish it... El Endo de Este

[samagon]

I wonder if there's enough support for a "reado eado" campaign?

[LarryDierker]

I wonder if there's enough support for a "reado eado" campaign?

 

I wont support it, but I'll laugh every time I read it.

[totheskies]

Ok, I'm willing to go on record... 

 

I like EaDo.  It's a nice brand to help grow the area, and it's both unique and predictable.  Several cities have something like this (SoHo, LoHo, WeHo, LoDo, SoCo), and I think Houston is deserving of the same.  Most importantly, it's a good name because it honors the area's past as an industrial section of Downtown, but looks forward with future branding opportunities.  So yeah... I'm a go for EaDo!! 

[Houston19514]

Yes.  East Downtown definitely needs an inane made-up name.  It's high time we started looking for one.  ;-)

[Texasota]

If we went with Old Chinatown, it could be OChiTo

[samagon]

Ok, I'm willing to go on record... 

 

I like EaDo.  It's a nice brand to help grow the area, and it's both unique and predictable.  Several cities have something like this (SoHo, LoHo, WeHo, LoDo, SoCo), and I think Houston is deserving of the same.  Most importantly, it's a good name because it honors the area's past as an industrial section of Downtown, but looks forward with future branding opportunities.  So yeah... I'm a go for EaDo!! 

how does the name eado honor the area's industrial history?

[ArchFan]

I much prefer the "East End", but isn't it really too far west for that?  I'm with Subdude on the "EaDo" moniker.  On the bright side, maybe it will eventually disappear like "Luv Ya Blue" did.  :-)

[bachanon]

Some anti-"EaDo" commentary on twitter tonight. One comment joked that a blogger was upset over the term "EaDoHo". It is East of Downtown Houston after all. Might as well go all the way with the stupid initials.

[fatesdisastr]

 

 

What especially gripes me about “Eado” isn’t that they set out to create a name for the district, it’s that they resorted to such a trite, hackneyed naming convention that has been used by countless other cities to designate neighborhoods that they wish to be seen as hip and arty (places like Orlando).  Copying a naming formulation that way is just so second rate-and striving, and a first-class city should be embarrassed to resort to it.  Even more amazing, people have been wanting a **Do area in Houston for a long time.  In the past there were proposals for NoDo and SoDo.  It’s like the city somehow wasn’t complete without one. 

 

What it makes me think of is an insecure teenager who worries about being cool, so he goes out and gets a tee-shirt that says “I’m really quite cool”.  He might think that people will buy it, and doubtlessly some will, but the real message that comes across is “I’m very shallow and insecure”.   

 

To me your argument seems to come across as one a hipster would argue lol

[arche_757]

Its here to stay when "they" start using EADO to name buildings.  I'm ok with it.  I'm glad that developers are actually trying in this area.

[ChrisPHous]

I just got back from Denver and they call a part of downtown "LoDo" which IMO sounds worse...

 

On another note their Pavilions was doing really well.

[LTAWACS]

On another note their Pavilions was doing really well.

Of course it's doing well. Denver has zoning.

[Specwriter]

Call it what you want but Old Chinatown doesn't get you very far past the Kim Son to me.

 

I always thought the reference to "Chinatown" was a bit odd since so many of the businesses there such as Kim Son were owned/run by people who immigrated from Southeast Asia, i.e. Viet Nam, Cambodia, Laos, etc.