West Harbor Place Takes on New Name

Downtown’s main strip has a new name: Center Street Promenade.

Merchants, city and community leaders agreed that changing the name of West Harbor Place was needed since visitors and residents going to shop or dine in the redeveloped downtown often confuse it with nearby Harbor Boulevard.

“West Harbor Place was a terrible name,” said John Machiaverna, owner of J. Mac Jewelers and Silver Screen Cafe. “I believe everybody down here was in favor of a name change. This hopefully will separate us from Harbor Boulevard and give us our own identity.”

Machiaverna, a co-chair of the Downtown Anaheim Assn. Steering Committee, which recommended the name change, added that since West Harbor Place is actually east of Harbor Boulevard, the old name also contributed to people not being able to find his--and other--downtown businesses.

The City Council on Tuesday unanimously agreed to the new name.

Mayor Tom Daly on Wednesday said he favored renaming the street because “I think it’s a more attractive and memorable name.”

But at least for one downtown merchant, Sam Hishmeh, owner of Colours Hair Productions, the street’s new name may not ease the way for downtown visitors.

“We still have a Center Street and it’s going to be another confusion,” she said. “Center Street to me still doesn’t cut it.”