have you heard about 63rd?

Only less than 100 years ago the area between 62nd street – 66th street and Rockhill Road – Troost Avenue was just beginning its development. A new shopping center on the southwest corner of 63rd st and Troost Ave. was built in the late 20s as neighborhoods began to move away from the city’s core. This shopping center offered a drugstore, barber shop, and restaurants, but has since been replaced with a US Bank and empty units. It is great to see this building is still standing strong and features its original structure, but it does not feel as lively as it looked in the late 20s. Figure 1 shows the 63rd and Troost Shopping Center in 1927 compared to today in 2019 (Figure 2).

Figure 1. 63rd & Troost Shopping Center 1927 (The Pendergast Years)
Figure 2. 63rd & Troost Shopping Center 2019 taken by Cristina Aurich 02/2019

Another building that has stuck around is the Highland Telephone Exchange Building, now called the Blue Hills Building. Located on the northwest corner of 63rd st and Troost Ave. and was placed on the National Register of Historical Places in 2005. Telephone exchange buildings were build in the “heart of the area they would serve” and were necessary for connecting calls during this period. Once an important structure now sits vacant with boarded up doors and broken glass window.

Figure 3. Hiland Telephone Exchange Building 1925 (National Register of Historic Places)
Figure 4. Blue Hills Building 2019 taken by Cristina Aurich 02/2019

Since 1925, this area has greatly advanced. Blocks that were almost completely empty have been replaced with homes and retail shops. Largest changes in the area can be seen between the 1920s and the 1960s. Residential neighborhoods continue to stay north of this area and commercial structures remain more south. Looking at figure grounds from 1990 and 2019 there is little modifications. Few structures have disappeared leaving behind open land. This open land is opportunity for development and growth.

Figure 5. Figure ground maps of 1925 & 1963 created by Cristina Aurich 02/2019
Figure 6. Figure ground maps of 1990 & 2019 created by Cristina Aurich 02/2019