Developers turn to Jedi, jockeys and more when naming roads
By JAN HOGAN & LAUREN ROMANO
VIEW STAFF WRITERS
Developers often turn to themes as they try to come up with creative and unique street names. In a neighborhood bordered by Racetrack Road, Newport Drive, Magic Way and Equestrian Drive, the streets follow a horse racing theme with names such as Tabasco Cat Court and Triple Crown Street.Photo illustration by Dale dombrowski and f. Andrew taylor/VIEW
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There's no doubt about it. The Las Vegas Valley keeps growing. Each year, about 1,600 new streets are added. One of note that came on board in 2007: Hanky Panky in the northwest part of the valley.
"You have to turn on Highway to Heaven to get there," said Maureen Cooper, owner of Official Street Guide. "It's not so much the name, but you put the two together and it's kind of funny."
Henderson has plenty of fun street names, too. A neighborhood in Anthem starts with Lyrical Road and moves on to other musical selections, such as Falsetto Avenue, Quintet Avenue, Tempo Street and Flute Avenue.
"Sometimes, when I'm giving people my address, I have to spell it and say, 'You know, like the musical instrument,'" said a Flute Avenue resident who didn't want to give her name. "I didn't really think about it, though. Some of the names (in the valley) are shocking. This one isn't shocking."
Basic Magnesium Inc.'s presence in Henderson is evident. In addition to Basic Road, there is Copper Street, Magnesium Street, Manganese Street, Zinc Street, Lead Street, Nickel Street and Tungsten Street.
Another downtown Henderson area brings a peace of the United States to the valley, with Nebraska, Texas, Arkansas and Kansas avenues; Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada and Montana ways; and Oklahoma Drive.
Henderson also goes international with Glasgow, Cannes, Milan and Lisbon streets; and Dublin, Geneva, Essex and Jakarta avenues.
Old-time Las Vegans may recall two parallel streets in the southeast named for singer Jim Nabors' television character: Gomer and Pyle. Gomer since has been changed to Silverado Ranch Boulevard.
When it comes to naming streets, the task falls to developers.
Developers submit the names they want to Maria Bittner, planning analyst with the city of Henderson.
"I look for phonetics, duplications and length," Bittner said. "Names can only be 13 characters."
If foreign names are submitted, English translations are required.
"We don't want to put up anything that is derogatory," Bittner said.
Bittner said she tells developers: "If you need five names, submit 20. Sometimes if 20 names are submitted, only two are approved. Some are just not approveable."
After Bittner screens the list, the names go to 911 Services. This group checks all the names for the valley against Clark County's names.
"For 911 purposes, we do not want duplicates anywhere in the county," Bittner said.
Unlike Bittner, 911 Services will not correct misspellings.
"We don't ask people why they spelled them the way they did," said Tim Syzmanski, public information officer for the Las Vegas Fire Department. "We figure they spelled them that way for a reason. We're not spell checkers."
Spelling is a challenge for some developers in the valley. Mobster Bugsy Siegel has his own street, but it's misspelled: Bugsy Siegal Circle. So was Saphire Stone. In the spirit of anything goes, Comanche is spelled two different ways, and Paiute, three.
Across the valley, developers have come up with interesting themes for naming streets.
One little known street is named My Way, near Spring Valley. But it can be hard to locate as people keep stealing the street sign.
Names have been themed after characters from "Star Wars" -- Vader, Leia, Skywalker, Tarkin and Kinobe -- in the southeastern part of the valley. Die-hard fans will recognize that Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi's name was misspelled.
In the southwest, you'll find more ocean-like names: Smuggler's Beach, Barnacle Bay and Sea Captain.
Beatriz Levy, a loan officer, said she likes seeing the street signs that have ocean-themed names.
"It makes you feel good," she said. "It makes you want to go to the beach."
STREET NAMES IN HENDERSON AND ANTHEM
1. Rusty Spur Drive
2. Home Court
3. Xanadu Drive
4. Reebok Terrace
5. Glasgow Street
6. Stock Option Street
7. Zinc Street
8. Kansas Avenue
9. Duke of Wales Court
10. Falsetto Avenue
NAMING INSPIRATIONS
Developers look to various sources to inspire street names. Here are some that fill the valley:
* Actual places: Beverly Hills, Nottingham, Notre Dame, Newport, Lake Ontario, Appian Way, Mount Vernon, Alaska, Versailles, Tower Bridge, Boca Raton and Windsor Castle.
* Real people: Elvis Presley, Calamity Jane, Butch Cassidy, Buddy Holly, Sitting Bull, Frank Sinatra, Hugh Hefner, Wynn, Jimmy Buffett.
* Fictional people/places: Merlin, Sergeant Pepper, Robin Hood, Jack Frost, Ali Baba.
* Wild West: Navajo Point, Lodgepole, Lasso, Settlers Ridge, Mustang, Maverick, Bronco, Wigwam, Totem Pole, Gunslinger, Swift Arrow.
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