Reconstructing History: 3D urban modeling of a historical public housing project in 1940

Abstract

Poindexter Village is one of the first public housing developments in the United States. Located in Columbus, Ohio, the neighborhood played a central role as a vibrant center of African American culture and community life on the near east side of the city. However, a combination of disinvestment, racially biased policies, and systemic inequities led to the decline of this community. Despite considerable preservation efforts, most structures in Poindexter Village were demolished in 2013, leaving only two residential buildings intact. This study delves deeply into Poindexter Village’s historical background and by using 3D modeling techniques within ArcGIS CityEngine, it aims to reconstruct the neighborhood's 1940s landscape. To generate the 3D model of the neighborhood, an exhaustive compilation and analysis of digital Sanborn maps from the Library of Congress were undertaken. Machine learning techniques were utilized to extract building footprints and associated property details. To ensure spatial accuracy, georeferencing procedures were employed on the extracted footprints to seamlessly integrate them into CityEngine for the subsequent 3D modeling. For realistic representations of building heights, a rigorous examination of 1940s architectural drawings from the Ohio History Connection was conducted. Furthermore, an extensive collection of archival images sourced from both the Library of Congress and Google Street View maps were employed to model the facades of the buildings. This comprehensive and holistic approach resulted in the creation of a visually compelling and precise 3D representation of Poindexter Village during its thriving years in the 1940s.