Sydney Place Honorarily Renamed For Pat Gianotto, Longtime Hamilton Street Advocate

Pat Gianotto Jr. unveils a street sign during a ceremony Nov. 5 honoring his late father.

Sydney Place on Nov. 5 was honorably renamed after the late Patrick Gianotto for his efforts in the redevelopment of the Hamiton Street business district.

Gianotto, a lifelong township resident and owner of Franklin Electric, died suddenly while on vacation in May.

At the time of his death, he was serving as the chairman of the Hamilton Street Advisory Board, the group charged with shepherding the business district’s rennaisance.

Gianotto was a forceful advocate for the district. It was largely through his lobbying efforts that the two-person Community Policing team was re-established with the business district as its beat.

Township Councilman James Vassanella, (D-Ward 5) and Tim Kelly, the current chairman of the HSAB, led the effort to honorarily rename Sydney Place as Gianotto Place.

Vassanella, who said he served with Gianotto on prior incarnations of the advisory board, as well as the current one, said the two “didn’t always agree on how to get where we wanted to go on Hamilton Street, but we always agreed on where we wanted to go.”

“Hamilton Street is better off today and will be better off tomorrow because of Pat Gianotto,” Vassanella said. “Pat was a dedicated servant from his father, Frank years ago, along with his siblings, and his nephew, who serves on our police department. They’re a family of service and dedication.”

“Hamilton Street will continue to be a family passion for many years to come,” said Pat Gianotto Jr., after unveiling the new street sign at the corner of Hamilton Street.

“It’s a very nice honor, the fact that the township has recognized the work he’s put in and all he’s done for the town,” Gianoto Jr. said before the ceremony. “It’s a nice honor to have a street dedicated to him.”

His father would have thought “that it’s a little too much,” Gianoto Jr. said. “That this is an unnecessary thing, but he would thank everyone for it and be hunble as he always was.”

“It shows the township’s appreciation for all he did for Hamilton street, which was his cause,” said Susan Hancaviz, Gianotto’s long-time companion. “He worked hard to make it a safe community, a place for children, a place where busnesses could be, and it was his passion to see it improve. This just shows that they appreciated it.”

Gianotto would think the street renaming was “an honor, but he would still like to see it continue, not just stop at this point,” she said. “There were so many things he had in the works that weren’t completed. I’m sure he’s proud of this, but he would like to see it continue. And see all those people who said, I’m going to, stand up and do it.”

There was also a sign placed at Sydney Place and Rose Street, where Gianotto’s home is.

Prior to the ceremony, Jamie Yeh, a member of the HSAB, and township police Det. Ken Daly presented the Gianotto family with a certificate from the Asian-American Law Enforcement Association for Pat Gianotto’s work on the street.

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