22nd to 26th Street
Holmes St to Harrison St
This study focuses on creating figure-ground maps for a section of Hospital Hill in Kansas City, Missouri, encompassing the area between 22nd and 26th Streets, and Holmes Street to Harrison Street. In the graphics provided, it can be observed that in 1925, Hospital Hill was comprised of numerous small residential homes, with a few larger buildings that appeared to be local businesses. The Sanborn maps of the era indicate that the larger structures were likely manufacturing plants, clinics, or apartments. It was a typical mixed-use neighborhood of the time. It is worth noting that in 1925, 23rd and 24th Streets ran from east to west.
Moving on to the 1970 figure-ground map you will see that many of the residential homes that were once in place are no longer standing. The only block that survived is in the southwest corner of my study area. Just north of that is completely demolished for a parking lot in the 70s. In 45 years you can see the impact that automobiles were having on city planning. What appeared to be a once walkable neighborhood in the early 20s is now a car-dependent sea of parking lots. Some of the small alleys between most of the blocks started to disappear during this time as well. What looked to be various commercial businesses were built in place of some of the residential blocks, but didn’t appear to be permanent.
In the 2020 figure-ground, only the southwest corner block remains, withstanding the test of 100 years of planning changes. The homes in this area were built as early as 1908 and are well-maintained to this day. The rest of the landscape is vastly different from what existed 100 years prior. The 1970 plans suggest that the northwest corner of the study area, now occupied by hospitals, was being planned for new construction for many years leading up to today. North of 25th Street, leading up to 22nd Street, is an entirely new development and does not retain any structures from 1970. The small alleys have also been eradicated. 23rd and 24th Streets now end at Charlotte, and some empty lots still have yet to be developed.
In conclusion, this figure-ground study provides insight into the changes in land use in Kansas City over the past 100 years. The southwest corner block remains the sole survivor of the test of time, while the rest of the area has undergone substantial changes. The impact of automobiles on city planning and the transition from a mixed-use neighborhood to a car-dependent landscape is particularly notable. The overlayed figure-ground maps provide a clear comparison of the changes over time. What do you think of this study? What do you observe in the maps?
