Re: Santa Barbara County - Update: The End.

[Ricky112233]

Well Hello fellow SC4D member who has the same name as me!

I've been lurking around for a very, very, very, too long time!

So I thought it was about time to finally tell you how awe-inspiring, yaw-dropping, awesomely-great your MD is!
(Maybe I've posted a comment here before, but I don't think so..)

You've just earned another devoted follower/fan!

Grüße aus den Niederlanden!

[Framly]

Fantastic job! Great use of the new NAM and the SPUI

[Terring7]

The SPUI is way better than the previous exit

[RickD]

I had to put my MD on the backburner due to RL. Anyway, here is update 42. I got the inspiration for the area shown today from looking at cities like Minneapolis, Houston and Tulsa in Google Earth.

42.1

The area north of downtown, across I-5 is not exactly the nicest part of town. During the 80s it was infamous for crime and gang wars. When the CBD was build, the house owners stopped investing in the old buildings. Instead it was more profitable to tear down the rundown buildings and build parking lots instead.

42.2

In 1996 the city counsil tried to revive the area by building an arena and convention center. They hoped those landmark buildings would attract businesses and investors.

42.3

The plan failed due to a major planning fault. There was almost no public transport. So the Sims had to take the car to visit events. And cars need parking lots. More and more buildings were torn down, only a few remain.
But recently a metro line has been built.

42.4

The Central Bus Terminal next to the Arena.

42.5

The arena by night.

42.6

Another night overview.

42.7

Outlook Park at the I-5 interchange. It is another attempt to make the area more attractive. You have a beautiful view of the skyline from here.



Replies:

nbvc, Nexis4Jersey, Dantes, TmiguelT, marsh, ricardomiranda, Skimbo, wallasey, bat, metasmurf, carlfatal, Kergelen, rooker1, Schulmanator, Framly, Terring7:
Thanks for reading ancommenting. I am glad you like my MD.

Still looking good!  I like how 41.1 shows the kind of sharp edges freeways and rail lines create for business districts and neighborhoods.  That's why traffic engineers hate to include them in new plans.  This new philosophy of freeway use reminds me of Germany where the Autobahns run between cities rather than through them.  You take a local Autobahn spur out of the city proper and at the edge you can hop on the freeway.  Your image captures the American style perfectly though.

Personally, I favor the american approach. In Germany the main goal of city and traffic planning is to make things as inconvinient and annoying for car drivers as possible. While american planners seem to try to improve traffic flow, German engineers are working hard to achieve the opposite. 

The SPUI looks really good at this point. 
I also like your update on the SBlink, which shows a nice mixture of rural and urban scenes.
I really like how you plan your road/train network. 

I also saw an interesting building which I'm interested. Any idea where i can get those residential blocks on pic 39.1?

Great work
~ Simcitler

Thanks! I got the apartment blocks from the Stex but I can't find them right now. I assume they are made by a danish batter as they have danish flags on the lot.

Greetings from the Emerald Isle (Ireland) 

I have been a lurker on this site for a long time, and it was only yesterday that I thought to read your MD, and I am very impressed! Can you give any tips on how to create such a successful networking system? As whenever I have made one in the past, the rail always gets left out..... *never used trams - yet.....*

I love the way you capture work crews creating the new roads (where do you get those bits of eye candy from??    You have a great eye for detail too, and I have to say I am incredibly jealous hehe, but you have also given me LOTS of inspiration for my region that I have literally just started on - with a view to getting on here in the coming month or so

Keep up the hard work my friend, you have a devoted follower here 

Ps. This is my first post

Thanks for the praise.  Planning the major highway and rail network is the very first thing I do when starting a new region. At least I want to have a rough idea, where things will go. Often I lay the network down before I begin zoning. But at least I put up some markers (with the sign-tool) that remind me where to leave space.

Nice SPUI! From the urban look of that area though, I'd vote for RHW-6C under the SPUI. And now that that street doesn't really connect to anything you should have the extra tile of space you need

Look forward to more 

A 6C would definitely look better but I am hesitant to demolish another tile next to it. 

Well Hello fellow SC4D member who has the same name as me!

I've been lurking around for a very, very, very, too long time!

So I thought it was about time to finally tell you how awe-inspiring, yaw-dropping, awesomely-great your MD is!
(Maybe I've posted a comment here before, but I don't think so..)

You've just earned another devoted follower/fan!

Grüße aus den Niederlanden!

It is not my real name, though. Glad you decided to quit lurking.
Grüße zurück.

[SCWTC4]

nice update, i like the stadium and the story of failed urban renewal around it 
hope to see some more road geekery in the next updates (and why not, a region view...)

[noahclem]

Great update!  Very good (and accurate) depiction of a once nice part of town falling into disrepair and struggling to reinvent itself. 42.3, with the once-grand theatre surrounded by parking lots and run-down old buildings, is my favorite.

[apeguy]

Awesome update, your choice of buildings surrounding the arena is perfect. It looks very bleak and run-down.

[Terring7]

I must admit it that Santa Barbaba Country is 1 of my favourite mayor diaries
As about the parking lots, let me recommend you the use of underground parking garages and the replacement of all those pavement and cars with parks and plazas. This will make the area even more attractive without using too much space for parking lots. Just my humble opinion

[sumwonyuno]

Toyota Center, a fitting name.   

[nbvc]

Great work. Looks very realistic.

[Lior]

Wow, wonderful pics, your skyline is perfect, and the new arena is nice too.
And I agree with Terring7, underground parking lots would give you more space to try to revive this area.

[Ol.S / Benoit]

Really nice update,and the first picture (42.1) is simply amazing... Very inspiring.

[Dantes]

The park in the last picture looks great. As happy joggers and walkers with dogs.  Image 42.1 is great. Big city atmosphere of 5 / 5 *     

[Nanami]

Nice looking city! and nice nightshot!

[bat]

The night shot is looking beautiful!
Also great work on this area!!!

[Ricky112233]

Err...Owh well...uhm...Well you do have the same name as me at SC4Devotion ....Kinda

Great update, I lovee the storyline!

Grüße!
Tchuss!

[Skimbo]

I like the realistic touch of the area around the arena, it's nearly a perfect copy of the mentioned cities and their areas around the arenas.....

[RickD]

43.1

Evergreen Village is a large residential development near the CBD across US-101. It was built in the 1970s to provide affordable housing in the city.

43.2

Evergreen Park is the center of the housing complex.

44.3

The rest of the area is still industrial. However, most factories here are long closed and decayed. The area is up for redevelopment.

44.4

The Larkin Building has already been converted to offices.

44.5

The Fisher Body Plant is closed since 1992. The building is a ruin and has to be torn down.

44.6

An investor has recently bought the Coleman and Son's Warehouse and will convert it into luxury condominiums.

44.7

A nightshot just for fun.

44.8

The old Powerplant is now a event hall where concerts and partys are held.

44.9

MoFo is one of the hippest clubs in town.



noahclem, apeguy, nbvc, Lior, Ol.S / Benoit, Dantes, 976, bat, Ricky112233, Skimbo:
I am glad you liked the update. Thanks for leaving a comment.

nice update, i like the stadium and the story of failed urban renewal around it 
hope to see some more road geekery in the next updates (and why not, a region view...)

Thanks. Unfortunately no roadgeekery in this update. 

I must admit it that Santa Barbaba Country is 1 of my favourite mayor diaries
As about the parking lots, let me recommend you the use of underground parking garages and the replacement of all those pavement and cars with parks and plazas. This will make the area even more attractive without using too much space for parking lots. Just my humble opinion

Glad you like my MD. Underground parking? Meh. What about a parking skyscraper? That would be cool. 

Toyota Center, a fitting name.   

[noahclem]

Nice update RickD    The projects and the factories are nice, though it's a shame the Fisher Body Plant has to go--a beautiful building with top-notch night-lighting. I'd love to see that RHW-6C's sharp curves get smoothed out with the new FARHW pieces 

Look forward to more 

[apeguy]

Cool update, especially the Fisher Plant and the Coal Plant. I agree with Noah, you should use FARHW pieces on the highway to make it look more realistic.