How to build residential zones facing ped malls

[io_bg]

Hi everyone, I discovered how to build residential zones that have ped malls in front of them and decided to share that discovery with you
So, first pick up a location that suits you. Like on the picture below, I think it would be nice to have an apartment block next to the canal without having roads between the block and the canal.



Then drag a street or a road on the place where you want to have ped malls and put zones.



Now wait for a building to grow.



After that drag street or road (it'll be temporary) behind the building or/and next to its side.



Wait until the building gets populated (this should take a few game months). Then destroy the street/road that is in front of the building and put ped malls on the same place.



Then Route query it and the commuters will change their route and the building will not get abandoned!



I hope this was useful to you! If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I'll be glad to help.

[M4346]

So, technically, they just use the backstreet? Is that all that uncommon?

Sorry, I've never really investigated the issue of road / transit connectivity extensively and am quite ignorant in this regard.

[io_bg]

Well, if you put ped malls in front of a building it will be abandoned. And that what I've shown is a workaround of that problem. I thought it could be useful but now I see I was lying to myself 

[Rady]

Well, for me that's a good hint! I tried this severeal times but always ended up with the "no road access" sign since I forced the zone to face the pedmalls rigth when zoning. 

Thank you!

[j-dub]

Good find, io_bg. This is actually very useful. I know this works because I have noticed depending on the circumstances, so long there is a method of travel somewhere, the residents will stay.

I have not really used this style for ped malls up in the front of residence, but similarly, I have been using this alternate line of travel method so I actually get diagonal houses to grow on diagonal streets, so long as there is a pedmall in front to support the arrow that does not have the street in front of it on that side. As for the sides of the lots and access, I'm not so sure. In the LE, it makes one corner of the lot, or another the option, but it doesn't tell you you can use both. But, whenever I have put streets in the back, they take them instead, if its faster. Really though, I think this "alleyway" capability MAXIS left for us without finishing is something that was not researched enough.

[Strategist01]

You can also use this if you were to have res zones facing something like a bridge, or a custom over pass, or one of those avenuse y-stacks...if it faces somewhere there is obviously no place to go, just put a road/street at the back of it, and it should be fine