Covington - Update 61 "Chestnut Hills and South River Bend"

[dandan 777]

  Thats okay were all human right? OR ARE WE  . Any way's I'm kinda sad about the old houses , can you stop them from taring any more of them up please? Well the town homes looked really nice and the growth is exeptional! 

[projectadam]

As a concerned citizen of Holden Ridge, I am starting this petition to recognize Holden Ridge's significant impact in the history of Covington's growth. I am hoping that there will be enough signatures to submit to city council to recognize this neighborhood as a Historical District and to stop the growth of apartment complexes

projectadam

Great update as always JB! One thing that confused me was 27.8 "Just to give a better sense of how far from downtown we're starting to get.  The commercial strip is growing larger." The growth should be getting smaller from downtown or is a second CBD developing in the outskirts? I guess time will tell. Keep up the great work

[threestooges]

Sometimes this game lets you create good scenes, other times you can't seem to get it to work right. Then there are the times where this just come together spectacularly. Celebration Square is impecably done. Seems like one of the benefits of an argument about what to do with the land is that you can get a little bit of everything. Good use of the Shedd as a concert hall. That reservoir must provide an amazing backdrop for an orchestra or whoever is playing. The Washington Heights Library and the Covington Historical Museum are fantastic BATs, but I don't remember having seen them before. Any clues as to their origin? The GooberGen Aquarium is a good addition too. Great idea to combine it with an emergency reservoir. Jimmy's Spitfire looks like a nice spot for a bite to eat (and looks like it is in close proximity to the tantrum inducing ice cream stand (location, location, location), and you've thrown in two fine looking schools as well (perhaps those people are just getting back from a day-long fieldtrip to the Square).

Holden Ridge is a very diverse area. The industrial sector is neat, but where does that staircase in 27.3 lead? It looks like it ends right in the railroad tracks. You've really managed to show the change in the neighborhood styles across the area. Curious to know what tricks you use. It looks like some areas have more trees than other, and some are what seem to be winter shots (and therefore less green). Is this a property of the lots or do you add extra flora after things have grown in? In particular, I'm referring to the bottom of 27.4 and 27.5). It interesting to see the development and encroachment of the apartments. While they don't look too bad on their own, it's sorry to see the other houses going down to make way for them. Nice use of the Marrast stations as well, they fit right in. Speaking of stations... were you working on a few at one point? Great updates Jon, and I'll look forward to what else is on the way.
-Matt

[bat]

Update 26 and 27 are wonderful! Fantastic pictures of your city which looks beautiful!
Great work!

[Lilojame]

Hi there, my friend! I am sooooo deeply sorry for missing two of your most wonderful, simply gorgeous updates. Hm, I believe I told all that I think of both of them was said in that sentence. Seriously, you are doing a great job and I love how you are presenting the pictures. 

I hope, that I wont miss the next one (I will definetly try to not miss it),

Karin

[dandan 777]

  I I agree to sign Projectadam's Potitian. I too believe we should restore our history! Even though I do not fully live in convington I still live here in the summer so I should count.

[Jmouse]

I figure I went AWOL about the time you updated Dec. 11 (page 21), so that's where I'll start. I'm a bit too late to vote, but as always, I love your wonderful maps.

The readers made an excellent choice when they picked Celebration Square. 26.1 is just beautiful with the museum and reflection pond. The library and Historical Museum are very attractive as well - those are some really good BATs. The park views in 26.7, .8 and .9 are beautifully laid out, then the night shots are stunning. Nice teaser, too, so now I'm anxious to see more of this lovely hamlet. Meanwhile I'll try and spend some time later in the week reading all the comments I missed.

Later...
Joan

[paroch]

Holden Ridge sure is a great neighbourhood, and as you say and point out, quite diverse.  Of course it's a matter of taste as to which part you could describe as being "better" than any other.  personally, I like pics 27.4 (great suburban symetary) 27.9 (MattB's agnled houses really work brilliantly here) 27.12 (great example of how neighbourhoods so close can be so different) and 27.13 (Covington's region shots are really just so impressive).

That's not to say the other pictures are not good at all!!!  They really are and 27.10 really gives us a flavour of how Holden Ridge has changed - I'm assuming this is now perhaps the poorest part of the neighbourhood.

I really enjoyed this one and of course and ready for the next!!

One thing.... have you considered a train mod???  I think that there are many better alternatives to the default Maxis one you have.

All the best,

Paul

[Simpson]

Hi JB

I'm really sorry that I miss some fantastic updates my friend . 
As well you have done a superb city, and I have no words to exprim how your region is beautiful and so réalistic. I love your fields 
Super work in this update, looking forward to the next one 

David

[JBSimio]

Jon:  Thank you!

Dandan:  Thanks!  I'll see what I can do about saving some of those older homes. 

Projectadam:  Thank you!  The neighborhood of Washington Heights is already petitioning for historic protection, as are sections of The Barrens and Oak Park.  It's hard to say just how far the city will be willing to go with historic districts.  What I meant by the "growing larger" comment was that the businesses were progressing from smaller, family owned type of shops to the more suburban styled big box stores.

Matt:  Thank you!  I really enjoyed putting Celebration Square together, so I'm glad you liked it.  The Washington Heights Library is actually done by Citynut of Newman, Inc. fame... I didn't immediately find it on the LEX, so it may still be an older one from the STEX... I'm not sure.  I found it on the DVD.  The Historical Museum is also off the DVD, but I think it's part of SimGoober's educational pack found on the LEX.  You mentioned the steps down to the tracks... and you probably have a fair point there.  I don't really know what purpose they serve, to be honest.  I was probably thinking some kind of maintanence access, but there should probably be some kind of barrier to prevent the general public from using them in that case.     As for the trees... I think it's more a quality of the lots than anything else.  I tend to plant trees on every bare tile I can reach... and usually try to go back after development and replant the ones that go missing.  I've noticed some residential lots will accept god mode trees within their borders while others don't, so this may also be part of the difference (although I'm not sure what causes one response over the other).  I did have some train stations in the works... but they were another victim of the summer moving fiasco.  I'm not even sure where they are right now, but I'll find them eventually.  Thank you again for all your comments... I always appreciate it!

Bat:  Thank you!

Karin:  No need for you to apologise either, my friend.  I'm always glad to see you and have no problem waiting if need be.  Thank you for the kind words!

Dandan:  Your signature has been noted at city hall. 

Joan:  Thank you so much!  It's good to see you back and I look forward to hearing what you think once you've caught up! 

Paul:  Thank you!  This was honestly a very tough neighborhood to work with.  It is actually contained in three different city tiles, so creating any type of continuity took a LOT of back and forth and bulldozing and making historical and all those other tricks.  Even then, there were still so many competing elements that I finally just had to incorporate it into the story a little bit.  The poorest part that you mentioned is also one of the oldest sections (from a game building standpoint), but I liked the idea of the neighborhood constantly shifting and decided to prevent any of that section from upgrading.  It's also smack in the middle of the neighborhood... roughly under the "dg" in Ridge on the map if you're curious.  I had several train skins at one point before I had to replace my desktop (died in the move) and I just keep forgetting to download them again.  I really need to do that! 

David:  Thank you my friend!  Nice to see you again!

The last couple days have been a bit hectic in RL.  I had a lot to do in preparation for my trip and then I had to actually do battle at the airports and on planes all day Thursday.  Now I'm back in Michigan for the week to have a bit of a family Christmas... I was greeted by 8 inches or so of new snow yesterday!  (Quite a difference from the rain in northern California... I think I might be going soft already!  )  With all that's been going on, I haven't quite gotten a full update on The Barrens ready just yet.  In the meantime, remember those grand openings the mayor alluded to for this celebration month?  I found this in the paper recently...

Thanks for reading!!!
JB

[art128]

I'm so sorry Jon for no posting here for the last 3 updates.
But better late than never !
They are some wonderful pictures my friend, as always it's awesome !

Arthur.

[EDGE4194]

hey jon- i too have been AWOL and have missed some incredible updates! Celebration square is absolutely beautiful  the Holden ridge update is very interesting. Your narratives are fantastic.       

[dandan 777]

  I'm very glad that you're energy is now clean! I bet you anything that the land value will increase.

[paroch]

I'm sure you'll say "ah they're not so difficult to create", but I think that the newspapers you are delivering here are really great updates.  Did you used to be a copywriter in a previous life or something?

Paul West sounds as though he knows what he's talking about so I think West End may need to hire his expertise to "green-up" our own energy supplies.

Oh, and I didn't appreciate that Holden Ridge is spread across three tiles - that really makes it even more impressive - Bravo 

[bat]

That's another really great newspaper article there! Really good work on it!

[bakerton]

I must say, clean energy is for the 21st century and Covington is indeed in the 21st century. The rest of America should follow Covington's lead in building and using Hydrogen and clean energy. Did the lights get brighter in here? JKB

[Lilojame]

Hi! And there I see another nice newspaper! 

Looking forward to see more!

Karin

[Jmouse]

You do a wonderful job on the newspapers, Jon. Ever thought of giving up your day job and becoming an editor? I'm soaking up all the good ideas I've seen in the past few months in the unlikely event RL returns to a semblance of normalcy and I find a few minutes to fire up the game.

As always, waiting for more...
Joan

[JBSimio]

Arthur:  Thank you!  No need to apologize... I think this is a pretty busy month for everyone.  I'm just always glad to see people when they can make it in.

Edge:  Thank you so much!

Dandan:  Thanks!  I'm sure the land value will improve over time... although it may be hard to tell since there isn't really much else over there just yet. 

Paul:  Thank you!  I've always enjoyed writing, so the newspapers are a fun thing for me to do.  I thought you might feel a bit of a connection with Mr. West since I borrowed you and your city to come up with the name!    I'm sure you (or he?) would be more than willing to help with any of West End's energy needs.  You'll probably really appreciate this update then as it spreads across four city tiles...

Bat:  Thank you as always, my friend!

Jon:  Thanks!  We southerners aren't all as backwards as people like to say sometimes...

Karin:  Thank you, my friend!

Joan:  Thanks!  "Editor" sounds too much like a desk job to me... I'd probably get bored with it very quickly.  I'm looking forward to seeing your MD out of retirement (or a new one, whichever it may be)!

Lots... and by that I mean LOTS... to see today.  So let's get right to it, shall we?

Update Time!!!

Fair warning... this is going to be a pretty long update this time around.  So before we go any further, I'd like to suggest you get a cup of eggnog, tea, or beverage of your choice... warn your significant other that you may be a few extra minutes... get good and comfortable... and enjoy.  Why not start with a map to get a better idea of how The Barrens fits into Covington...

28.1


As you can see, The Barrens is a pretty large neighborhood on the city's south east side.  (You'll also notice that it still isn't even completely finished!)  It shares a number of characteristics with Holden Ridge, actually.  Surrounded by industry, faithful readers may remember a few instances of major changes which already impacted this area.

28.2


We'll start with the section closest to downtown.  Houses have been crouched in the shadows of these large buildings since Covington's industrial boom.  It may be surprising to see nicer homes like these so close to large industrial buildings, but if one considers the history of the industrial boom it makes a lot of sense.  As these factories moved in, housing shortages began to trouble the city.  With land still plentiful at the time, it made sense to keep workers within easy distances of their factory jobs and so the houses were built right nearby.  The only real difference here is that the neighborhood has survived all this time and actually continues to do well.  There are even a few newer houses to be found in place of those older homes that finally wore out.

28.3


The eastbound rail corridor serves as the northern border to The Barrens.  The contrast between this single family neighborhood and the run down rowhouses of Indian Village are surprising to many visitors.  It really gives new meaning to that old phrase about coming from the wrong side of the tracks.

28.4


This northwest section of The Barrens is very well maintained.  While these aren't the oldest surviving residential areas of the city, they aren't very far down the list and follows that same wood frame style that is so prevelant across the Piedmont region.  This picture clearly shows why this northern section of the neighborhood is currently petitioning for historic district protection as I mentioned in recent replies.

28.5


By now, you've probably been wondering why in the world this neighborhood is called The Barrens.  With such a name, many people expect to see a poor, depressed, and run down swath of cabins similar to Shacktown.  In truth, the name has nothing to do with the houses or the quality of life.  The Barrens is actually named for what remains of a creek bed that runs from downtown to the Riedsville River to the east.  Often cutting a deep groove through this area, the banks of this old creek can be fairly steep and unstable.  The growth of the downtown area and numerous improvements to the city's water system have virtually turned this creek into a dry bed now.  Some sections have been filled in and built upon, some have been spruced up and turned into city parks, but many have been left wild like what can be seen here.

28.6


Moving a little further east, you can see how the old creek bed simply falls away below the developed parts of the city.  These pockets of heavily wooded areas were once a child's dream for playing war and exploring.  Sadly, time marches on and many parents consider playing in the woods to be unsafe these days.  About once a year, someone starts a mild panic about the Barrens being filled with homeless bums and perverts and demands that the city eliminate these dangerous areas.  (It should be noted that this is largely untrue... these wooded valleys are actually just as safe as they ever were, but apparently PS2 is an infinitely safer way to grow up and so the old forts hidden amongst the trees continue to deteriorate.)

28.7


That's not to say that every area bordering these ravines will make it onto a Covington postcard.  There are a number of small pockets like this tucked amongst the trees that do their best to measure up to the expectations of a name like The Barrens.  Little loops and deadends like this are usually old carry overs from the days when this was a much less urban landscape.  At one point these would have been small cabins tucked back in the woods, but that was before the housing boom that followed the industries here.  I guess it just goes to prove that not everything gets bulldozed when a city grows.

28.8


Still along the northern side of the neighborhood, we come to an area many of you might recognize.  This is the same section that was leveled to make way for the large warehousing and logistics development a number of years back.

28.9


At the easternmost reaches of the Barrens we come across the first of those improved parks.  This thin strip of a ravine was filled in by the city and turned into a more "user friendly" park, probably in response to one of those concerned citizens.  This park, while small, has turned out to be a benefit to the area and the housing stock has improved since it was built.  The city even included a short bike trail which you may have seen the beginning of in the previous picture.

28.10


The neighborhood begins to become a little more transitional as we make our way back towards Randlemann Road through this eastern arm of The Barrens.  The home sizes and styles are a bit of a mix here, but overall it's still a nicer section compared to others.

28.11


Woodbridge Drive and Mason Hill Road form the inner corner boundary of The Barrens.  Right about here is also where Woodbridge Drive becomes a small commercial strip that serves the local needs of the neighborhood.  Local police and fire precincts are located at this corner and the shops run to the west.

28.12


Moving further west back towards Randlemann Road, the commercial strip mixes in closely with the houses along Woodbridge.  So far, there haven't been many homes lost to these commercial buildings.  Most of the newer shops and offices were built over top of older mom and pop type stores, but houses like these are beginning to feel the pinch as Woodbridge becomes busier.

28.13


Just north of Woodbridge is another example of homes along the edges of these ravines.  We've been kind of criss-crossing The Barrens in this little trip and we're back among the older sections of the neighborhood along its west side again.  There really isn't much more to say that hasn't already been described here, so we'll move on to the next one...

28.14


Another unusual feature of this neighborhood is how quickly the density can change because of the creek bed and valleys.  One minute we see just a few houses backed up to the wooded areas and the next minute we see blocks of stately homes lining the streets.

28.15


As we near the southern limits of The Barrens near Randlemann Road, we come to the local schools.  If Randlemann High School looks familiar, it's because the school system in Covington went through a bit of a population explosion in the early 1900's.  Three high schools were built in the city between 1918 and 1926.  Rather than waste time with multiple bids, the city opted to simplify the process by using the same design for all three schools.  It tends to confuse the new ninth graders, but it did allow the system to catch up on its expansion rather quickly.

28.16


Just east of the high school is another of those improved parks.  While this one wasn't actually filled in and leveled off, it once again opened things up a little and most of these residents appreciate the clearer view.

28.17


The eastern edge of this same park shows just how muddled some of the local streets are on this side of The Barrens.  It also exposes how the untamed ravines were able to hide the changing faces of the neighborhood in ways that these "new and improved" parks cannot.  People in those nicer homes on the north face of the park never had any idea the run down houses around the corner even existed until about 15 years ago!  It's hard to say if these open parks are an improvement or not.  The untouched ravines seem to offer more privacy and a taste of nature within the city, but the open parks could make people a bit more neighborly and improve the cohesion of the area.  Time will tell, I suppose.

28.18


You may have spotted a couple smaller churches tucked amongst the houses during this trip, but there are also a couple larger congregations located in The Barrens.  This church, near the intersection of Mason Hill and Deep Cut Creek Roads, began as a small farming congregation long before Covington had dreamed of spreading this far.  Today it serves a diverse and fairly urban collection of souls.

28.19


The southern edge of The Barrens is also bordered by factories.  This industrial park actually wraps around the local landfill to the south.  Obviously, this section hasn't faired as well as the older sections have done.  Then again, these industries don't provide quite as nice a backdrop as those in the city's original railroad center do either.

28.20


Finally, I leave you with a parting example of the way this area transitions back and forth along the old creek bed.  With tree lined streets and heavily wooded ravines, this really is a much nicer place to live than the name would first imply.  Many houses have been here for decades and remain well cared for.  There are parks and natural areas scattered across the entire neighborhood.  The Barrens may have a few problem spots and its own set of unique issues, but overall it's a pretty nice place to live... especially if you're a kid with parents who let you play outside.

Thanks for reading!!!
JB

[paroch]

Stunning Jon, simply stunning.  You make it look easy - but I know it's not!!  To create a neighbourhood that looks so cohesive and yet still with its own distinct variations is highly impressive.

It really does feel like a PROPER suburban neighbourhood (have I ever told you I love good suburbs in SC4!!) and this is a GREAT suburb.

And to think this is spread over four city tiles makes it even more special.  Those small wooden framed houses in 28.19 are my personal favourites - I don't recall seeing them before.  And you know a certain person's Mouse Houses would look right at home in The Barrens.  I think they'd bridge the gap between the older, smaller cabins and the larger R$$ homes. 

Well, I have to say that was a very enjoyable update Jon, thank you.

Merry Christmas my friend.

Paul