The area seen west of the parking lot in the 1928 photo was home to the large intramural athletic field, but was otherwise largely undeveloped for the first several decades in the life of the Westwood campus.

Westwood Boulevard initially ran all the way through to Sunset Boulevard, and featured above-ground parking on either side.

The space at the base of the steps, now known as Wilson Plaza, began to take shape in 1932 with the building of the Men's and Women's Gymnasiums – now known as the Student Activities Center and Glorya Kaufman Hall, respectively.

Built into the hillside, Elvin C. "Ducky" Drake Stadium was completed in 1969, after a proposed larger, multi-purpose stadium was rejected.

Visible in the distance was the ridgeline upon which “The Hill” was built. Until the first undergraduate dorm, Dykstra Hall, opened in 1959, UCLA was primarily a commuter campus. Sproul Hall opened the following year; Rieber in 1963 and Hedrick in 1964. The development of the residence halls has continued well into the 21st century, with new housing, restaurants, conferences facilities and recreational complexes completely transforming the campus experience – and the view from the top of Janss Steps.