Regal Suburbs
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3-1 I a I I I 2 a a C i I s I In "the king's mountain," the action takes place at the edge of tow Monterrey, looking wait. The Palm lObispadoii i Calonia Obis pod o wraps around in base TRADITIONALLY, citiea ol Spanish origin were themselves on an orderly grid. Monterrey ened to fine those who did not reside in characterized by strong urban centers. was founded 2 > years later as a metro- the urban zone; the ordinance was Office buildings sat side by side with politan city — that is, a seat of regional invoked on various occasions. residential buildings, which were often government and religious administration Ir wasn't until the ! " t h century, when several stories high. That model is still — bin lor ncarlj 200 years, despite the Monterrey's economic base changed, that visible in many Latin American cities plans, the city refused to develop a prop- the city assumed an urban form. In 178.!, (including Mexico City, Bogota, er urban core. The area's economy was when the Diocese of Monterrey was <. aracas, Buenos Aires, and lima), bur it based on tanning and ranching (at least established, the city became a religious has been losing strength. Latin \merican 2 s agricultural haciendas, or ranches, center. Ami in I 848, when an inter- cities are growing through their residen- existed in the current metropolitan /one), national border was established with the tial suburbs — which means that they and farming does not encourage urban- United States, Monterrey became the look like Monterrey. ism. Other cities coalesced around their commercial and military center of north- Visitors to Monterrey scarecely rec- major industries. Mining drew workers to eastern Mexico. Guanajuato and Zacatecas. Commercial, ognize the city's Hispanic heritage, h If at any time Monterrey grew in the religious, and regional military economies looks like a North American city: Wide manner of Spanish urban centers, it was concentrated people in I'uebla, Morelia, streets bearing high-speed traffic connect between 1790 and L890, when a well- and Guadalajara. But in Monterrey, to downtown to residential suburbs. But in aligned grid system with a series of cen- (he consternation of the city's authorities, fact, Monterrey's suburbs have existed tral pla/as was designed. In 1865, when the great majority of the population pre- longer than most North American cities. Monterrey had 15,000 inhabitants, a ferred CO live on haciendas on the periph- plan for grid based growth encompassed erj nl town. Authorities repeatedly CENTRALITY AND SUBURBS approximately 700 hectares (1,680 acres), directed property owners to build houses In 157?, King i elipe II of Spain ordered housing a population ot I SO,000 or in the city, and in 1660 they even threat- that all the cities in his dominion plan more. But three revolutionary innovations C i I e fill 35 B Y JUAN I G N A C I O B A R R A G A N V I L L A R R E A L nw i W Foi left: The Coionio Bella Villa, Monlerjty i l l n l tubiiiban residential tolonia, housed the brewery's managerial and teshniiol staff. Seiond from left: Colonio El Mirador pioneered iKe mr ?i"« use of ;> ni-iH. Third otid fourth from left: From 1935 to 1965, Monterrey'i social elite built grond houses in Ik* Colonio Obiipodo. doomed that plan: railroads, large indus- colonia to house its technical and man- Colonia Id Mirador wasn't, strictly expropriated by the federal government tries, tnd residential suburbs. agerial staff. The Colonia Bella Vista, just speaking, a suburb, even though it pos in 1K.59, and was finally sold to private In I SKI, railroad tracks began CO north of the brewery, was developed by .1 sessed many suburban characteristics, citizens around I 922. In 1925, when the cross the city with no respect lor its street U.S. entrepreneur. Colonel Joseph Robin- such as relatively large house sites, hill's lower reaches were developed as the grid, and establishments began to locate son, but its success was hampered hv the wooded areas, and concrete streets Colonia Ohispado, it became Monterrey's themselves in relation to rail lines — and economic crisis the country suffered intended for intensive automobile use. first true suburb. The buyers were the outside the limits of the lSf>5 grid. The between 1910 and L920, the decade of The predominant architectural styles were city's most prominent business leaders, breakdown accelerated in the 1890s the Mexican Revolution. Nevertheless, Aiid.ilusi.ni ,ind l alifornian, though along with the managers of foreign firms; when large factor) precincts appeared some F.nglish-stylc chalets |the Mexican other styles were also built. Today a they built elegant I uropean-style resi- outside the historic grid. I he (. erveceria term for free-standing single-family movement exists to defend the historic dences whose terraces commanded views Cuauhtemoc, Monterrey's hrst brewery, houses with their own gardens) were con- heritage of HI Mirador, which is seriously of Monterrey from on high. To one side was built CO the north of the historic core structed in Bella Vista and still survive. affected by conversion of houses to of the hill were Monterrey's first golf in 1890; then the American Smelting With the return ol political stability offices and businesses. club, the Monterrey Country Club, and a ( oiiipany, also to the north in IS 1 'I, then and economic growth came Colonia HI After HI Mirador, other residential sports club, Kl Club Deport ivo Obispado, Foundry Number 2 to the east ,11 Petioles Mirador, Monterrey's first successful sub- colonias, such as the Colonia Maria I uisa which contained tennis courts, swimming in 1892; then, also to the east, the urban subdivision, and the first modern and the Colonia Ohispado, developed west pools, and polo grounds. Monterrey Iron and Steel Foundry of subdivision in Mexico, Curiously, this of the city. The installation and expansion From l9.V5ro 1965, the Colonia I V()[; and finally the Vidriera Monterrey, neighborhood was located inside the area ol M.niti rrey's potable water nilrasmu Obispado was the headquarters of the glassworks, to the north tn 1909, ol the IS(>i grid, in a tract west •.t the ture, begun around 1909, freed developers Monterrey's social elite. It was filled with Each ot these industries built large, central core. from having to situate new neighborhoods large gardens and grand houses contain- walled enclaves that blocked the street The 1865 plan had not included the near traditional sources of water. ing more than 1,000 square meters grid ot ISfi.V The enclaves forced new tract because it contained HI Mirador, a I'he Colonia Maria I ansa was devel- Hi.Dim SL|ii.ne feet — <>l living space. I he avenues to branch nil the grid, generating grand country house constructed by Gen- oped at the end ot the 1920s near the earliest architecture was based on historic new axes ot urban growth, eral Mariano Arista and later enlarged by Cerro del Ohispado (Ohispado Hill|, at I'uropean styles, but residents soon began an important businessman, Gregorio what seemed to be tlu western I11111I ol to adopt more modern forms, mostly THE FIRST RESIDENTIAL COLONIAS Zambrano, In 1920, Zambrano's grand- Monterrey's urban expansion. At the fool inspired by conservative models from the Several factories began to develop housing son, Lorenzo Zambrano Gutierrez, built ol tin' hill, the traditional right-angled 11nited States. tin theii workers eithei nc iroi within the C'emento Monterrey factory, now part block and street grid could not be Unfortunately, the Colonia Obispado their installations — and therefore outside ol today's Crupo (. 1 M I X . Around 1925, applied, so the next subdivision, the began to decline after the private clubs the grid. The American Smelting Company when Zambrano developed his family's Colonia Obispado, broke drastically with moved away. The Monterrey Country and Monterrey foundry built inside their Muadol propel is. he 11.11u1.1llv used Ins the scheme and was laid out around the Club left in 1936; Club Hipico in 1940; industrial enclaves, ,u\d other enterprises company's products. Colonia HI Mirador base of the hill, with streets aligned along ami t l u b Deportivo Obispado in I960. promoted residential subdivisions (cofo- is noteworthy for its concrete streets and the contour lines. Ih<- slubs' land was redeveloped, but iihis) beside their plants. Monterrey's sub sidewalks. Cemcnto Monterrey made sure The lull had an aristocratic character. upscale residents followed the clubs to urban dispersion hail begun. that the innovation caught on. Its maga- Since I"90 it had been occupied by the new neighborhoods. In 1901 the C erveceria Cuauhtemoc zine, Cetttcnto, used images ol II Mira- Bishop's Summer l'alace Inovv the Museo The colonia also came to be sur established the first suburban residential dor to promote concrete. Regional II Ohispado]. The property was rounded by middle-income developments, 36 loll I 1 0 0 f I I 1 1 three viewi of San Pedro Corio Gortio: Cone mlh the Mnrf-ilyle home in Colonia del Voile; Coliodo del Voile; and an KEB store. d } B such as the Colonias Vista Hermosa, municipal utility district, the tirst ot its well as an efficient tax collection system. from the center of Monterrey, both are Mitras, and Lonuu de Chepe Vera, which kind in Mexico. The new administrative It has the highest number ot police per inside the city limits. No physical barriers generated traffic.