The region was formerly crossed by different creeks and lagoons, some of which were refilled and other tubed. Among the most important creeks are: Maldonado, Vega, Medrano, Cildañez and White. In 1908 many creeks were channeled and rectified, as floods were damaging the city's infrastructure. Starting in 1919, most creeks were enclosed. Notably, the Maldonado was tubed in 1954, and currently runs below Juan B. Justo Avenue (north of this district). Facing the Río de la Plata estuary, the frontage remained flood-prone, and in 1846, Governor Juan Manuel de Rosas had a contention wall six blocks long built along the existing promenade. An English Argentine investor, Edward Taylor, opened a pier along the promenade in 1855, and the flood-control walls were extended northwards to Recoleta, and south to San Telmo, in subsequent works completed in 1865. A sudden economic and population boom led the new President of Argentina, Julio Roca, to commission the development in 1881 of an ambitious port to supplement the recently developed facilities at La Boca, in Buenos Aires's southside. Approved by the Argentine Congress in 1882 and financed by the prominent London-based Barings Bank (the chief underwriter of Argentine bonds and investment, at the time), the project required the reclaiming of over 200 hectares (500 acres) of underwater land and was accompanied by the widening of the promenade into what became Leandro Alem Avenue. Italian and French influences increased after the overthrow of strongman Juan Manuel de Rosas in 1852, and particularly upon the advent of the modernizing Generation of 1880. French architecture inspired the area's redevelopment during the beginning of the 20th century, and eclectic designs that drew from Beaux-Arts, French Academy, and Second Empire architecture were reflected by numerous historic buildings in this districts from the era, notably the headquarters for "La Prensa", City Hall, the City Legislature, Buenos Aires Customs, Palace of Justice, the National Congress, the Teatro Colón, the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange, the Buenos Aires Central Post Office, and along most of the Avenida de Mayo and Diagonal Norte Avenue. Some of the most prominent contributors to the district's architecture from the era included Francesco Tamburini, Vittorio Meano, Julio Dormal, Virginio Colombo, Juan Antonio Buschiazzo, Mario Palanti, and Francisco Gianotti.