South Central is a neighborhood in Wichita, Kansas, United States. A mixed commercial and residential area on the east bank of the Arkansas River, it is among the city’s oldest neighborhoods. South Central was subdivided and developed in the early 1900s as a residential neighborhood for workers commuting downtown via street car. In add…South Central is a neighborhood in Wichita, Kansas, United States. A mixed commercial and residential area on the east bank of the Arkansas River, it is among the city’s oldest neighborhoods. South Central was subdivided and developed in the early 1900s as a residential neighborhood for workers commuting downtown via street car. In addition, fairgrounds were built at its south end along the east bank of the Arkansas River. Aside from a few small businesses, it remained a residential area of single-family houses until World War II. The routing of U.S. Route 81 onto Broadway Avenue, which runs north-south through South Central, along with rail lines further east triggered commercial and industrial development. Motels, restaurants, and service stations opened along Broadway in the 1950s and 1960s. Similarly, warehouses and industrial facilities were built along the railroad. In the 1980s, U.S. 81 was re-rerouted further east to run concurrently with Interstate 135, reducing traffic through the neighborhood. This led many of the businesses along Broadway to close or be converted to other uses such as used car lots. Many motels became dens for prostitution, turning the Broadway corridor into the city’s red light district. In 1995, neighborhood activists worked with the city government to create a revitalization plan to increase investment and improve residents’ quality of life. Subsequently, businesses redeveloped many of South Central’s commercial areas, renovating industrial facilities and opening new retail stores, hotels, and office buildings.
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