Troost Avenue between 40^th Street and 43^rd Street is dominated by residential land use with few operating commercial buildings today. Iron bars placed on home windows and doors and high fences surrounding businesses suggest a lack of sense of security within the community. Little human activity occurs on the streets and what does stems from the Ride KC bus stops along the avenue, the only recent reinvestment seen within the three blocks. The earliest maps of the blocks are from 1909 which show few structures and many undeveloped lots. The area has slightly decreased in density from 1951 to 2017. The decrease in density is due to the demolition of many homes. Yet, those houses and apartment complexes still seen today are the original buildings from the early 1900’s. 1951 marked the peak of economic growth within the area with the most stores operating at the time. Since then, due to the disinvestment of the area, 40^th Street to 43^rd Street has many vacant building spaces that have not had reinvestment put back into them.

Written by: Madison Gavornik on September 26, 2017.