Recent development has resulted in auto-oriented convenience stores and fast food restaurants; yet the neighborhood remains remarkably walkable, despite the fact that few blocks retain continuous buildings on both sides and several of the single- and multi-family structures are in need of improved maintenance. Masonry is the predominant building material and the structural stability of these structures indicates that there are ample opportunities for building reuse. The study area does not function as a cohesive whole because of the existence of several major vehicular thoroughfares that tend to divide it into smaller sub-districts (see Summary of Existing Conditions Diagram on page 19). Because several of these streets are one-way (Main, Market, Topeka, Emporia and Second), traffic on them has a tendency to move very fast which exacerbates the streets' role as a sort of barrier. Main Street is one-way south carrying traffic from the north into Downtown. Fortunately, Broadway is two-way; however, as a result, development along this corridor has occurred in a haphazard way without any unifying standards that could encourage additional neighborhood investment. Broadway is characterized by uses such as Quick Trip, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Spangle's, Taco Tico, and Red Carpet Inn. These uses, with their reliance on vehicular traffic for drive-thru lanes and parking, detract from the corridor's more institutional anchors such as the Church of Christ Scientist, Inter-Faith offices, and the First Presbyterian Church.
West side of Broadway at Murdock. |
East side of Broadway at Murdock. |
Central Avenue functions more appropriately as a buffer between Central Business District activities to the south and potential neighborhood activities to the north. This corridor also has a mix of commercial and auto-oriented uses; however, it is characterized by a greater percentage of historic or older buildings (than Broadway) that allows it to weave itself into the neighborhood more successfully. There are several opportunities to improve this corridor by creating significant gateways into the neighborhood. This could certainly be done through public improvements but even more effectively through new architectural elements that could reinforce existing assets and more effectively define transitions into residential areas.