Spa's Atlantic Retreat

[hydra]

Great work SPA.

[pvarcoe]

Really nice work.
I will definetly put these to good use.
Thanks Spa!

[sebes]

I love the result - and the roof is excellent.
It will be my favourite in game residential, that's for sure!

[simdad1957]

SPA:

Just thought I would drop by and congratulate on your recent spate of uploads. The Canadian content on the LEX/STEX just took a big leap. There can't be much left in your "works in progress" list. The only one I can think of is the CBC HQ building in Toronto. Speaking of CBC, have you ever thought of doing the CBC building on the corner of Sackville & South Park in Halifax? It certainly is an architecturally interesting building that would fit on a corner lot quite nicely. Just a thought .

As a fellow Maritimer, I really appreciate your efforts. Take care.

[spa]

Simdad: Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed the recent spate of releases. There really aren't any left in the queue. The CBC is just about it, but I won't be getting to it until after the school term is done. I have definitely thought of the CBC building at Sackville and South Park. It's a wonderful building. I love the lines on it. My only issue with the building is the street presence is absolutely horrible. It's a real shame. I do have a new project underway that I think you'll be interested in. It's from one of the Maritimes larger cities and is a major landmark. Take a look below and see if you can guess
Sebes: Thanks. It has certainly be well recieved. It ended up as well as it did thanks to all the prompting and feedback from the community.
Pvarcoe: Thanks
Hydra: Thanks
JBSimo: Thanks. It's out now. It was a pain to work with but it wasn't quite as bad as you might think.
Hogmeister: Thanks

So as I mentioned in my reply to Simdad, I have a new project underway. It's a landmark building from one of the Maritimes more significant cities. It only just missed the wrecking ball in the 1980s, but thanks to a grassroots community effort the building was not only saved but was completely restored. I'm not too far in. Just have the grand front entrance done so far. Check it out below.

Lots more to do yet, but it's a start. This will probably be a 2x3 w2w when done and a definite oldie. As usual a lot of the details I put in have been lost. Below is what was actually made in gmax.

A lot of work for just a hint of depth, but hey it's kind of fun to do. If anyone has any guesses as to what this one is, feel free to post away. I'll update this one again soon.

[bat]

The buildings are looking really great, spa! And the new start here, too!

[magee_b]

Imperial Theatre!?!!!! 

[simdad1957]

I just replied to your thread on Simtropolis but I'll do it again here anyway.

Your new project is a no brainer, it is the Imperial Theatre in New Brunswick's second largest city, Saint John. A grand old building that you correctly state was saved from the wrecking ball about 15 years ago and lovingly restored to it's former glory as a live performance space. It's strange that a similar project happened at the same time here in Moncton (New Brunswick's largest city) with the restoration of the Capitol Theatre. Both facilities have done a lot in terms of improving the cultural climate in the province.

It looks like you have a great start on this project. I'm kind of surprised that you are planning it as a 2x3 W2W. I would have thought that it would be more like a 3x3. In any event, keep up the great work!

[simdad1957]

Drat!!!, magee beat me by 15 minutes, oh well.

[magee_b]

simdad, you are very keen on pointing out Moncton is the largest city.

Moncton CMA (2006) 126,424
Moncton city (2006) 64,128   

Saint John CMA (2006) 122,389   
Saint John city (2006) 68,043   

Your CMA surpassed, but don't worry, I'm sure by the next census your city proper will have surpassed Saint John as well.

Spa, Looking forward to the Imperial Theatre project! Can't wait to place this in my downtown or, since were speaking of Saint John, my "uptown" areas.

[spa]

Well I'm swamped with school so just some replies today

Bat: Thanks.
Magee: You guessed it
Simdad: Indeed and at Simtropolis you beat Magee After reading your post I did a google search for Moncton's Capitol Theatre. It looks like an interesting building in its own right. I have to confess to not knowning Moncton really at all. That'll change eventually, but right now I have only ever been by the city on the highway which doesn't give you much of a view! Hopefully I'll be able to change that this summer. There are a number of government properties coming up for review in New Brunswick and odds are I'll be working on one of them.

So I didn't mean to touch off the battle of New Brunswick. You guys both knew the building though, it's the Imperial Theatre from Saint John. I don't know Moncton yet, but I think Saint John has a unique charm. I was actually there in the city just last week. The place has such an impressive collection of old buildings. A neat example of what happens when fire burns everything out all at once prompting a massive rebuilding effort that was almost immediately followed by 100 years of economic doldrums. The fire meant everything was built at the same time in a consistent style while the economic downturn meant it wasn't economical to tear much down. It's a great legacy that will serve Saint John well. Despite the promise, I find that the city still has a rough around the edges feel to it. Uptown was kind of depressing in winter (I can say from experience that it's a very different scene in summer). Not a soul around and no place open, besides Subway, to get food at the late late hour of 9:30. Anyway, I liike Saint John. Below is a photo of the real Imperial Theatre that I took this past summer so that everyone, not just the locals, has an idea where this one is heading.

I probably won't get around to doing much in the next few days due to school committments. Based on Simdad's comment though, I did go back into gmax to double check my estimates on the size and I have to say I don't know what I was thinking. This one would never fit on a 2x3. However, I suspect it won't be completely w2w. There is likely going to be 3 pavement tiles on either side because the dimensions of the front area just don't break up naturally into increments of 16. On the plus side, I can include the building's overexagerated upper lip as is since there will be surplus space for it to overhang

[simdad1957]

SPA:

I'm going to temporarily hijack your thread. There is no real war between Saint John and Moncton but there is an intense rivalry between the three major cities in southern New Brunswick that would be completely foreign in concept to a native Nova Scotian such as yourself. I am an interested observer of this phenomenon, having grown up in Prince Edward Island, then living in Halifax for nine years before moving to Moncton 19 years ago (God, I'm starting to sound old!).

Moncton has a CMA of 126,000, Saint John 122,000 and Fredericton 85,000. The only other provinces in Canada that have major cities of such equivalent populations are Saskatchewan and Alberta. Most Canadian provinces have single dominant urban centres; such as Halifax is in Nova Scotia. Because Halifax is so dominant, it is not a major political decision when it comes to the government deciding which community will recieve a new service or program. All this patronage ends up falling like manna onto the streets of Halifax.

The situation here in New Brunswick is not quite so clear. This breeds a lot of insecurity in the civic administrations of the three cities, particularly Saint John and Moncton (Fredericton is pretty secure because it is the provincial capital). Both Moncton and Saint John are fearful that the other city will begin to accelerate in status and growth, leaving the other as a backwater. I think that this paranoia is worsened because both cities have suffered significant economic downturns in the past.

Moncton has done pretty well over the last 15 years or so, with the population growing by at least 20% during that time and the city now has a stable and diversified economy. Saint John meanwhile has been stagnant but don't worry magee, I think the 2010's will be very kind to your city. What with the prospect of a second major oil refinery, a second nuclear power plant at Lepreau, the new LNG terminal and increased port activity due to the potash mine in Sussex, I think Saint John is due for a major revival. 

It's funny SPA, if you add up the populations of Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton, they would very nearly equal the population of Halifax. Each city has it's own particular set of strengths. For Fredericton, it is the government, universities and the military. For Saint John, it is heavy industry and the port. For Moncton it is our transportation, distribution, commercial and retail sectors. If there were some way to ignore distance and somehow meld all three major New Brunswick cities together, Halifax would have a true east coast rival. 

[magee_b]

 wonderfully said, simdad. Perhaps we should all just meet in the middle and move to sussex.

[simdad1957]

Amen magee.

[Hogmeister]

I think the choice of the Imperial is a good one, it has bags of character and is ideal for small and medium sized towns, so will fill an important niche in game as a theatre and /or art house cinema.

[Pat]

Spa I like the Imperial but the spacing cause of that poorly placed window sucks if you ask me lol... If you are batting this is there a chance that the middle window will be left out so Imperial appears unbroken???

[simdad1957]

SPA:

I was in Halifax for the last couple of days and passed by the "Clay Cafe" and "Video Difference" on Quinpool as well as "The Lexington". I must say that you have the detailing spot on and in particular, your treatment of "The Lexington" surpasses the original. Very well done!!

[magee_b]

simdad, I had a similar experience this summer in Halifax... I walked into a CIBC and then as I crossed the street I had the eerie feeling that I had seen the building before... lo and behold it was the CIBC spa had modelled for SC4.

I was home in Saint John this past weekend, had the thought that the city market would make an interesting BAT... hard though since it is built on a hill, as much of the downtown core is. And its definitely creepy when I was driving past the Imperial knowing that soon the building will exist in a virtual city of sorts.

[Krio]

What technique did you use for the details to the "door frame"? A texture, wingdings (i use them myself ) or did you model it yourself?

[spa]

Hey everyone. I have been whacked over the head with school as of late and there isn't really any end in sight until April, but then, finally, my 9 year post-secondary voyage will be complete! So, unfortunately, I wouldn't expect to see much in the way of bat updates for a little bit. I'll tend to some replies though:

Simdad: Indeed New Brunswick is a really funny place since it doesn't have a clearly dominant urban centre.... which is probably a good thing if you're a Haligonian! The fighting here in Nova Scotia was confined to Metro Halifax and disappeared after they amalgamated all the cities into one. I can well imagine the difficulty in having 3 rival centres like that. I know from my time out West that they have a similar situation with Calgary and Edmonton. I agree with you about Moncton, it has really been the star over the last while. Its location in the centre of the Maritimes where all highways tend to  lead is really a plus for the city. About the whole real East Coast rival thing... don't let the Newfies in St. John's here you say that. Out there they're convinced we're the ones to beat which is kind of funny since Haligonians worry about Moncton not St. John's.
Magee & Simdad: I actually stopped in Sussex two weeks ago when I was driving back from Saint John. The town has done a really nice job with the murals. The street plan in Sussex though struck me. I don't know why small towns seem to go way overkill with the traffic engineering. Sussex really doesn't need a one-way street and loop. That's just over engineering. Here in Nova Scotia Kentville has the same lunacy.
Hogmeister: Thanks. I'm really liking it too. I look forward to finishing it in May!
Pat: Thanks. You know that's a possibility since I don't aim for exact recreations. Once I get up to that point I'll see how the middle window ends up looking against the letters.
Simdad: Thanks! It's always nice to know that my buildings can be recognized. So far, I would say the Lexington is my finest work. I don't know if I'll ever top it
Magee: haha that's a great story and even better since you weren't looking for it Indeed the City Market would make a nice bat. It's such a key building in Saint John. It's what Halifax is actually trying to do now with the proposed new farmers market for the Pier 21 area. Maybe the Saint John market will make an appearence one day.
Krio: On such a detailed bat, it's kind of tough for me to narrow down which details you're asking about. I modelled everything except the shaded red areas below. They're where I cheated with textures



So I'll update again soon or if more interesting conversation gets rolling in here. I do have a bit of news. Someone with Halifax's Metro (what's left of the Daily News) wants to interview me about batting buildings from around Halifax. So I might be in the local paper sometime this week. If it pans out I'll post a link to the story.