The grid as algorithm for land use: a reappraisal of the 1811 Manhattan grid. (4th May 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Baics, Gergely; Meisterlin, Leah
• Is Part Of: Planning perspectives. Volume 34:Number 3(2019)
• Page Start: 391
• Page End: 414
• Publication Date: 2019-05-04
• Subjects: Manhattan grid -- land use -- morphology -- New York city history -- GIS; City planning -- Periodicals; Land use -- Planning -- Periodicals; Planning -- Periodicals; 711.09005
• DOI: 10.1080/02665433.2017.1397537
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0266-5433

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Manhattan's 1811 street grid defined the spatial framework for urbanization. Existing scholarship, however, has not empirically examined its role in determining land-use geography. By mid-nineteenth century, New York City had grown substantially into its street system, but had not yet instituted comprehensive zoning regulations. We explore interactions between the grid's morphology and land-use placement on the street in a generally unregulated environment, comparing patterns in the city's pre- and post-grid halves. Deploying new GIS data and methods, we complement existing interpretations showing that the grid guided Manhattan's development towards mixed-use commercial and residential avenues with residential and industrial cross-streets. We demonstrate that one set of locational logics drove these patterns pre- and post-grid. The grid amplified the morphological parameters of land use, identified as street connectivity, length, and width. Connectivity, determined by block dimensions, constituted the most critical factor. Lastly, we suggest that our findings and methods on the interactions between street morphology and land use are relevant to other cities, both for historical research and contemporary planning practice.