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| In search of Tracy's identity |
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| Written by Jon Mendelson / Tracy Press / | |
| Friday, 22 February 2008 | |
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Columnist Jon Mendelson tries to find a slogan that captures the spirit of Tank Town. Despite more than 100 years of history, it seems Tracy still struggles to find itself. More than a month ago, Mayor Brent Ives proposed creating a public marketing image for the city — a logo that would help Tracy stand out in the crowd of midsized Central Valley burgs. But as Ursula Luna-Reynosa, director of economic development, told me a few weeks ago, the city is searching for more than a slogan or motto. City leaders are after the eau de Tracy so they can distill it into a ready-to-market bottle. They’re looking, she explained, for an identity. As it appears the city isn’t satisfied with the tag on its Web site — "The place to live your future" — and I haven’t heard of any announcement, I figured the brainstorm could use a little boost. As far as I’m concerned, uncovering this city’s identity is as simple as location, location, location. Tracy is — drum roll, please — The Crossroads of California. Not only is it alliterative, it’s fitting. It captures, rather than creates, an identity. It speaks of a town that has thrived as a center of trade and travel. Tracy was born as a railroad junction and buzzed as a stop on the transcontinental Lincoln Highway (now 11th Street). Tracy’s most notable shoutout, when Jack Kerouac recalled its howling trains and surly brakemen, came precisely because it is a meeting of the ways. Even now, the city sits between the junctions of three interstates and is the eastern gateway to the Bay Area. Its location — 90 minutes from the ocean, 90 minutes from the snow — is ideal. It’s in the heart of the state, and not much passes through the Central Valley without at least a glance at Tracy. What is this town if not a crossroads? It also succinctly captures Tank Town’s past and present, even giving a nod to its thousands of commuters. Better yet, it’s a projection of an ideal future. The best visions of Tracy foresee a hub of thought and commerce. They include a four-year college, a souped-up Altamont Commuter Express linking with BART, and bustling business and industrial parks. What investor wouldn’t want a part of the action at The Crossroads of California? (And if some other city wants the title, we can always send a gang of hard-luck-lately real estate agents to straighten them out.) Run with this one, city leaders. It’ll sell, even if it takes some time. Because in this business climate, even a perfectly marketed identity won’t jumpstart the city’s sputtering economic engine. That’s because, in addition to being a crossroads, Tracy also became someone else’s suburb. For years, the city was married to housing, feasting on the region-wide boom. Now that the famine has begun, Tracy is struggling. It’ll be interesting to hear what nuggets of good news the mayor and Economic Development Department pull out of the hat for the upcoming State of the City address, as the outlook is pretty darn gloomy. The city faces several years of projected deficits and will dip into its reserve to offset the losses. The savings fund is expected to drop from $32 million to $9 million in the coming years. The council hopes that in five years the city can deposit money into the reserve fund and balance budgets in the meantime without laying off staff. At this point, that sounds far from realistic. The economy could very well be roaring in five years, but the turnaround for Tracy might lag behind, especially if the city’s fortunes are still handcuffed to the housing market. The March 13 address is a chance for the mayor to plot a new economic course. Maybe that starts with finding an identity — though it certainly shouldn’t stop there. • Read more Second Thoughts at Jon's blog, or contact him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
The Tracy Press encourages a free and open exchange of ideas and information. We reserve the right but do not assume any obligation to delete comments that do not meet our publishing standards. Report abuse to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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(27)
 written by d , February 23, 2008
Market themselves as One Big Black Hole - Money in - nothing out!
 written by Mark Davis , February 23, 2008
If they adopt Crossroads..., Jon should ask for a consulting fee.
 written by Al Galaviz , February 23, 2008
Tracy had the opportunity to be the gateway to the Bay area.
Howver, because we let the Tracy Real Estate Industrail Complex run our town for the past 10 years, we lost out. We lost out on real jobs, real companies with a solid tax base. Instead we are a over priced bedroom community with a farm, town attitude. Maybe in 25 years Tracy will find it's self, until then, Tracy is Still (Lost is Space)  written by take this name its not registered , February 24, 2008
About a slogan...I like it~ Crossroads of California
About the government, the economy and who you want to blame... look around... it isn't just the city of Tracy, our council or our local paper... It isn't just OUR situation... IT's DAMN SCARY... We all need to stop pointing and start saving cuz starting at the White House, it is all running down hill and taking our jobs and cash flo with it!  written by Amadeo88 , February 24, 2008
I find this piece not only very good reading, but IMO the ideas are actually really worth looking into. They appear to have economic plausibility and feasibility. Air lanes also have their hubs which I bet are determined to a large extent by geography and dispersal of population.
In my opinion, Mr. Mendelson does his best works dealing with local issues.  written by isthistrue? , February 24, 2008
Better hold off on the logo after the vote was decided on sportspark, then we can come up with a logo since the park will have been there. No more diversion and delays!
Tracy is at Crossroad alright, stuck at the fork of the road, going nowhere with the city council members at hand.  written by Kathy , February 24, 2008
The eau de Tracy? Obviously they never smelled the air in north east Tracy on a warm summer day.
Tracy's past and history have been thrown away in the name of being a bedroom for people from the bay area whose jobs, medical care, hobbies, interests, shopping habits, and hearts are still over the hill. They haven't embraced living in the valley at all. Some don't even realize Tracy is over a hundred years old or has a downtown. It is disgraceful to move someplace and sink a half million dollars into debt to live somewhere you know nothing about. Gone is Tracy's railroading history, it's farming industry, and the jobs that went with both. Gone are the days when Peter B. Kyne Stadium was filled with the town supporting the home team. Tracy is no longer a small town. It is just a maze of disconnected housing developments filled only at night with people who know little about Tracy and are disconnected from Tracy except for the oversized, overpriced house they sleep in on an undersized lot. Tracy is just a smog filled crossroads bypassed by freeways.  written by McCheese's Brother , February 24, 2008
How about the lede from Wadsworth's article today,
"A hit man, a tattoo artist and lots and lots of guns?" Or maybe we could work the pit bulls in too. "A hit man with a pit bull, a tattoo artist and lots and lots of Chryslers with expensive wheels."  written by Identity theft , February 25, 2008
Speaking for Tracy's forgotten farming community... There have been several articles on Tracy's history. In fact, there is a current blog on farming (and water). But nobody seems to care about that history, or those blogs. We see what you are up to.
Paid? by who? This seems to be a trend on here... Disgruntled developers? by who? I have to ask why Garamendi would scream "backroom deals"? You don't do enough? In tough times... How easily they forget. Makes me wonder if these same animated people are obstructs, one and the same???  written by sleepy , February 25, 2008
amy, take Toste Rd at the Orchard Restaurant on GrantLine...you will see a large wooden statue of the man, Lathrop Tracy or Tracy Lathrop...
 written by amy , February 25, 2008
Thanks! I didn't have problem finding the history of Tracy, it being railroad town.. but could not find where the "name" came from...that is a lead, though.
 written by RR Crossing , February 28, 2008
How about Ace train to the valley. Nothing but farmers, developers, and commuters. Now the commuters don't want to live here and were left with the farmers and developers.
Railroaded tracks too.   written by Cr@zy Beieob , February 28, 2008
The farmer and the devel.
The farmer and the devel. Hi ho the dairy O. The farmer and the devel!  written by Prius Owner , February 28, 2008
Gateway for the Prius owners. Except they we really don't get much better mileage on the freeway. Considering the cost of living here and Fremont. I paid way too much for both the hybrid and the house. Darn hybrid only gets me in the carpool lane, except that we dont have one from here to the Milpitas. It costs a lot to heat and cool this big old house too. But I guess thats life in the big valley?
Green acres is the place to be... do, do, do, la, la, la...  Shoulda just bought a Hummer and stayed in Fremont. written by Kathy , February 28, 2008
Tracy was named for Lathrop J. Tracy a railroad official. If you want to really leanr more about Tracy's history I suggest a visit to the Tracy Historical Museum at 1141 Adam Street. I believe they are still open on Sunday afternoons but you can call to check their hours, just leave a message and someone will return your call. The phone number is 832-7278.
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 22 February 2008 ) |
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