Should John Lennon Get a Street?

Street naming became a point of controversy a couple of years ago; however, earlier this year Run-DMC got an intersection named after them in Queens, this week Where the Wild Things Are got a temporary street name... so now should the northeast corner of Central Park West and West 72nd Street be named for John Lennon?

West Side Spirit reports that a longtime Beatles fan, Toni Diffley, is lobbying for "John Lennon Boulevard" to happen by next year (we'd argue that John Lennon Way sounds a little nicer, however).

December 8th, 2010 will mark the 30th anniversary of Lennon's murder outside of his home in the Dakota apartment building. The site notes that Diffley was expected to appear at an October 13 Community Board 7 meeting to push for the renaming, and has declared, “He did so much for New York City. Doesn’t he deserve a street renamed after him on the street he lived and was murdered on?” Amongst her reasons for the renaming, she noted his close ties to the neighborhood.

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By Jen Carlson in Arts & Entertainment on October 15, 2009 4:28 PM

Comments [rss]

johnlennonblvd

I am the person who requested that John Lennon's community recognize him and rename the street. I like Blvd and if you ever went near west 72nd it fits the description of what a boulevard is.

NOW TO ALL THE OTHERS: WHAT DID JOHN LENNON DO FOR NEW YORK CITY I WILL NAME ONLY A FEW

SUPPLIED THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE MEN WITH BULLET PROOF VESTS, SUPPORTED MOTHER HALE OF HALE HOUSE, AT THE REQUEST OF GERALDO RIVERA HE DID THE ONE TO ONE CONCERT FOR WILLOW BROOK DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS??? ALL PROCEEDS WENT TO WILLOWBROOK!! STARTED THE SPIRIT FOUNDATION FOR THE LESS FORTUNATE IN NEW YORK WHICH IS STILL GOING STRONG. IS THAT ENOUGH??

WHAT DID U2 DO TO DESERVE A STREET NAME? OR RUN DMC?? or EDGAR ALLEN POE ALTHO I DO ADMIRE ALL- or some of the names that you never heard of.

ALSO HIS NAME IS NOT STRAWBERRY FIELDS AND THIS IN NO WAY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A REPLACEMENT FOR A STREET NAME!

BORIS KARLOFF ROBERTA FLACK AND LAUREN BACALL ALTHO I ADMIRE THE FIRST 2 THEY IN NOW WAY EFFECTED THE WORLD THE WAY JOHN LENNON DID AND NONE OF THEM WERE SHOT TO DEATH!!

I WISH HE HAD ON ONE OF THOSE BULLET PROOF VESTS HE DONATED.

OK ! NOW I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE AREA FEEL THAT IT WOULD CAUSE TOO MUCH HAVOC. THIS is John Lennon we are talking about not some blonde prima donna. I feel he deserves it and so do alot of people. I cannot believe any one would say what did John Lennon do for New York. The mere fact he chose to live there is a honor in itself!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOVE AND PEACE

DO SOME RESEARCH BEFORE YOU OPEN YOUR BIG MOUTH NEXT TIME ALL OF YOU.

IT'S THE GREATEST PLACE ON EARTH (NEW YORK) THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE IT--JOHN LENNON

Jane Buck

I like his song but NY has other zillion name. Why???

Kingpin

Personally, I'd rather see Dan Aykroyd honoured, he's given New York one of it's most famous ongoing 'local' properties, the Ghostbusters.

ides_of_march

He wrote some catchy tunes and had a political opinion. Big deal. What great service or selfless act did he provide to this city exactly?

thefacts

Sorry, pal. Dustin Hoffman gave her great tips. So did Warhol. Sinatra once gave her a hundred.

Lennon, like you, was simply a misanthrope.

The Dove

Check out the great documentary "The U.S. vs. John Lennon". Amongst other things, it covers the story of how John fought for his greencard for years. Nixon attempted to have him deported because of his pacifist activism. In the Daily News, Yoko was quoted as saying John loved New York "because it's the most culturally developed city in the world. He was an intellectual, so he felt a part of that." She also said that they had an anonymity in NY that they hadn't enjoyed since the start of Beatlemania.

John Lennon's love of New York was no secret.

And for the record, I live in the neighborhood and I like "John Lennon Way", too.

thefacts

Lennon was barred by Nixon not for 'pacifism', but for pot possession( as are thousands of others) and for giving money to radicals to disrupt violently the Republican National Convetion.

My mother, a real socialist, knew Lennon, and she said he was a phony "working class hero", a cheap bum who would tip 10% to the working waitresses, like her.

Lennon was hype.

ANGRYGOD11

John Lennon was a great songwriter.

Maybe she was a bad waitress.

(Sorry thefacts, I just couldn't resist that one. I'm evil by nature.)

HOTCUP

maybe he "loved" new york so vocally because the president of the US was trying to have him deported? jus' sayin.

momoran

Hey why just a mere "street" or "avenue" Lennon should have a "pothole" or an "alley" named after him.

freddynyc

I appreciate his music but what exactly did he do for NYC to merit such an honor?

NannyState

He kept the dreaded Yoko in her cave while the city rebuilt from her last attack?

butterbutter

Agreed.

He wore a NY t-shirt.

How about Andy Warhol or Lou Reed? They were more about NY than Lennon.

Snoopy

He made enough money on his albums, he doesn't need more.

thefacts

If they haven't named a street after him in Liverpool, why should NY?

Get serious, folks.

NannyState

They did name their airport after him...Teterboro, anybody?

Kingpin

The man's already got Strawberry Fields in the park, he doesn't need another shrine dedicated to him.

JLRodP

he should've had a street named after him a long time ago

Snoopy

How about strata de Frank Sinatra ? or CBGB Parkway? or Edwin Booth Boulevard? or Michael Jackson Boulevard? or Avenue of the Americas?

In thirty years no one will give a shit about John Lennon or Michael Jackson except for some that just can't give it up. Witness the fools that still think Elvis was a great guy.