Construction projects are synonymous with spring, and this season it is no different, as the Pike Place Market's $73-million, much-needed renovation begins to get underway. The first phase of projects will start with the the foul-smelling, long-winded Hillclimb entrance, a stairwell off Western Avenue. Now, before you start complaining about cranes and construction eyesores, the Market is taking a lesson from the blueprints of Bob the Builder and asking the public to "Name That Crane." What better way to deal with the effects of a soon-to-be erected, 150-foot crane inhabiting the city's skyline for nearly a year, other than humanizing construction equipment. Brilliant. Deadline to submit names, June 1, 2009.

Around The -Ists This Week


Frasier Crane.
@Jack
Best name ever! I'm not even gonna post my idea now!
Try again folks, the market people said "We've already received many suggestions for "Frasier" - after the TV character Frasier Crane that lived in Seattle."
So keep 'em coming.
Niles?
Martin?
Why even play this game? If they've gotten tons of suggestions for Fraiser we should just name it Tunnel.
What about Eyesore?
If the crane were a frat boy or baseball player (not dissimilar cultures), he'd get a nickname like "cranesy" or "craner" or "Big C"
How about Long Neck Magoo or The Kranenator.
Oh shit. I just got why Fraiser was suggested so many times.
Ichibod....like from Sleepy Hollow.
I think that it is long overdue to pay true homage to one of the city's true sports heroes; a man who, not unlike the crane that will soon be erected, stood on the horizon, motionless, and swung his arms around every once in a great while in a sweeping graceful arc that belied just how precarious his stability actually was. I am talking, of course, about Purdue's finest and all-time Sonic great Steve Scheffler. Maybe we could find some enormous kneepads to adorn the bottom, just to complete the picture. C'mon! No guy was more excited than Steve to stay in one spot, the bench, for the entirety of his career - except for the one time he hit a 3 pointer, forgot the game was still going on and ran the length of the court to jump on Shawn Kemp and celebrate. Let's start a letter writing campaign to get that crane named after one of Seattle's most awkward sports figures of the last 20 years.
I totally agree.