WASHINGTON - July 28 - A coalition of civic groups, historians and a New York City Council Member sent a letter today to Peter Kalikow, the Chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, asking him not to sell naming rights to New York City bridges, subway stations and tunnels. The letter follows.

Dear Mr. Kalikow:

According to the New York Times, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has recently sent out a request for proposals to hire a marketing company to explore the sale of naming rights to the subway stations, commuter rail stations, tunnels and bridges in and around New York City.

While the MTA’s budget problems are serious, this is the wrong way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the New York subways.

The names of our civic places reflect our values and our aspirations. They embody our connection to this great city. Grand Central Terminal, the Holland and Lincoln tunnels, the Brooklyn Bridge – these are the city as it resides in our collective memory. So when we talk about names we are talking about our connection to the city that we love.

If we must re-name bridges or subway stations, shouldn’t those names convey the poetry and grandeur of New York, and the greatness of individuals who have made a large imprint on our lives? Is it really a good idea to turn our city into a kind of urban logoland? What will we convey to our kids – and do to ourselves -- if we choose to name these stations not after a Martin Luther King Jr. or Thomas Jefferson, but instead for Philip Morris, Waste Management or Martha Stewart? Are you really proposing to re-name the Church Ave. station after, say, Citigroup?

There is nothing wrong with asking such corporations to help fix the MTA’s budget shortfall. It would be good for these entities to return to the spirit of true philanthropy, and seek to advance the good of the city. But we should never let them convert our public spaces into billboards for corporate self-promotion.

Sincerely,

Gerald Benjamin, Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, SUNY New Paltz and Distinguished Professor of Political Science

Elizabeth Blackmar, Professor of History, Columbia University; co-author, The Park and the People: A History of Central Park

Edwin G. Burrows, Distinguished Professor of History, Brooklyn College, CUNY; co-author, Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898; recipient of the Pulitzer Prize

Savitri Durkee

Ron Evitts, AIA, Principal, Ronald Evitts Architect

Eric Homberger, author, The Historical Atlas of New York City

Henry Labalme, President, Taylor-Labalme Products, LLC

David Levine, Director, Continuing Education & Public Programs, The Graduate Center, CUNY

Margarita Lopez, Member, New York City Council

Carl Mayer, attorney and author of Shakedown

Carrie McLaren, Editor, Stay Free! magazine

David Ott, MD

Jonathan Rowe, Director, Tomales Bay Institute

Douglas Rushkoff, author, Media Virus and Coercion; Professor, New York University Interactive Telecommunications Program

Gary Ruskin, Executive Director, Commercial Alert

Bill Talen, creator of "Reverend Billy and The Church of Stop Shopping”

Daniel J. Walkowitz, Professor of History and Director, Metropolitan Studies, New York University

Lloyd Zuckerberg

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