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

[danielcote]

Where did you get those cool 2 floor lowrise apts that have started to grow all over Convington?

[dedgren]

waiting once again for the next generation of options.   

Jon, it's looking at work like this that provides the inspiration for the next generation of options.  But, of course, you already know that.  We all stand on each other's shoulders here- don't ask me how that works, but it does.

The regional pic is one for the "Great Regional Pic" collection.


David

[JBSimio]

Danielcote:  Sorry you had to wait so long, my friend!  Thanks for stopping by a few times.  (And yes... I did in fact like your song!  )

Arthur:  Thank you!

Sciurus:  Thanks!  The fields in that area are pretty square... but it's mostly flat land there and the square fields are pretty common here in areas where there isn't anything else to work around.

Geoff:  Thank you!

Bernhard:  Thanks for stopping in again.  I'm definitely not happy with the rails leading into that station yet and will continue tinkering with it until I come up with something that works a little better.  Thank you for the tips which I'm sure will come in handy either in West Bend or certainly somewhere else in the region.   

Danielcote:  I think the apartments you've mentioned are the ones I made.  They are still part of my private collection at this point.  I will be releasing them at some point, but time seems to keep slipping away from me lately.

David:  Thank you so much!  The amount of sharing and collaborating that happens here is just one of many reasons I like this community so much.  We do indeed add to each other's work and the circle of shoulders (I'm not sure how that works either...) keeps getting better and better.  Your shoulders seem to be adding all sorts of interesting things lately...

Update Time!!!

Over the last couple weeks I've managed to fill in a fair amount of the northwest side of Covington.  Let's look at a map and see where we'll be headed today.

35.01


We'll start with a sneak preview of Celebration Hills.  This area gets its name simply because it overlooks Celebration Square.  As you can probably tell by the map, I still have a bit of work to do here.  But in the meantime, there are a couple things worth mentioning about this area.

35.02


Industy continues to line the railroad tracks through this area.  I'm hoping that over time this will clean up somewhat, but for now I just have to live with the giant smokestacks.

35.03


As Holden Road curves around the southern edge of Celebration Square, the hills close in leaving little room for commercial frontage.  Settled in the hills above, this newer subdivision offers some great views over the park.  The houses here command some pretty steep prices despite some fairly small yards.

35.04


A closer look at some of the cul de sacs show some very nice homes.  Like many more recent developments in Covington, there is a good variety of housing styles available.  I think that trend is so popular here because people just hate the idea of accidently walking into the wrong house... but don't quote me on that one.

35.05


Just off of Friendly Avenue is another newer elementary school to serve the neighborhood.  The city has been promising to remove the tree blocking the driveway for roughly two years now, but apparently that idea remains on the to do list.

35.06


Market Valley originally referred only to the area north of Market Street west of the university.  However, when Interstate 40 was constructed, it ripped through the historic districts along Benjamin Parkway.  Market Valley was "expanded" to include these alienated neighborhoods which have seen considerable change compared to the protected areas south of the expressway.

35.07


Market Street runs along a small ridge here, but there are already signs of the bustling commercial strip that this road becomes as it gets further out of town.  Houses are set well back from the busy corridor and trees help to deaden the noise of traffic.

35.08


A closer look at the houses north of I-40 illustrates how this former historic area has changed since being cut off from the rest of its old neighborhood.  Some of the stately older homes remain, while many others have been replaced with larger, more suburban style homes.

35.09


Moving further west along the expressway, the homes get a little less impressive.  We can also see the edges of a large industrial park which runs along Holden Road here.  We'll see more of the industrial area another time, but for now I'll just say that it stretches from I-40 north towards the new power plant that we visited a few months back.

35.10


On the other side of Market Street in what has always been called Market Valley, the houses retain a bit of a European feel.  You may remember that the neighborhoods just across from UNCC contained quite a few homes in this style.  The trend spilled over into Market Valley, although the houses became a little more mixed as time went by.

35.11


35.12


Finally, here's a little before and after look at the metro area showing just how much has actually been filled in.  I know my updates have been a bit slow lately, but I really have been trying to get some things done here... I promise!

Thanks for reading!!!

JB

[danielcote]

Well release them soon unless you enjoy seeing me rip myself appart. 

Noooooo Histor rr rric      Dont destroy anymore its torture 

[bakerton]

Not bad at all JB. Covington is turning out to be a nice city. I do just love those historic homes that you showed on picture 35.8. They look wonderful. Keep it up. JKB

[thundercrack83]

Looking fantastic, as always, Jon! Covington reads like a "how-to" on how the perfect region shots should always look, and the pictures in game are fabulous, too, my friend.

I'm always on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what you've got for us next!

Take care!

Dustin

[JBSimio]

Danielcote:  The lawyers at JBSimio, Inc. have asked me to remind you (and everyone else for that matter) that we, the company or any of its affiliates, including (but not limited to) Monkey Around Productions, Simio Foodservices, and the people of the Piedmont region (be they real or imagined), cannot be held liable for any physical or mental injuries or illnesses that may result in the viewing of said company's publications.  Any such injuries or medical mishaps, especially those that are shown to be self-induced, remain the sole responsibility of the individual.  While we certainly want you to view and discuss the publishings herein, take note that you do so at your own risk.  Oh... and don't worry... the other historic homes across the freeway are part of a protected historic district.  They're not going anywhere!   

Jon:  Thank you!  Nice to see you here again.

Dustin:  Thank you very much!  High praise indeed, especially considering your accomplishments here lately!  I always appreciate your input, my friend.

Update Time!!!

Alright... I know I said that I wouldn't do any more of these R-rated updates, but I just couldn't help it.  I started toying with the FAR and FARR pieces in Ashboro which turned out to be much more challenging than the flat areas around Middleton and West Bend.  I'm nowhere near finished upgrading this particular tile, but I was so happy with the way things were coming along that I just had to share a few more pictures.

36.01


The main line connecting Ashboro and High Point crosses over US 52 several times before making it into Ashboro.  The road still needs a little smoothing here, but I was quite happy with how the railroad crossings fit together.

36.02


Just south of Ashboro is that section of track where the north-south lines and the east-west lines briefly join together.  This area needed quite a few changes to make the new curves fit, but once again I think the end result was worth it.

36.03


This is just a little eye candy south of the rail tunnel beneath US 220.  Nothing overly special about this segment... I just thought it looked pretty! 

And I'll just end here with another little mosaic.  The train is about to pull into the station where we can head north towards Covington.

36.04

Thanks for reading!!!

JB

[Simpson]

Incredible update, Jon !! The mosaic is fabulous. Also the region picture, in the last update, is magnificent, one of the best I've ever seen !!
I'm looking forward to the next update,

Take care,

David 

[Jmouse]

Celebration Hills looks really good, Jon. The industrial area looks OK to me even if it is I-D, and you've come through again with some pleasant, scenic neighborhoods. Makes me think of "Pleasant Valley," and the overviews are some of the most stunning I've seen. Always!

Your FAR/FARR "toying" appears to have worked out quite well, too. I still need more experience with it to feel comfortable using it. It's been more than a year since I got in there and really played SC4, so guess I just need to open up my test region and spend a few hours laying some roads and rails.

The mosaic is gorgeous and worthy of DLing as a reference I can look at every time I start putting houses too close together! Old habits die hard, especially the bad ones!

It's always a pleasure to see yet another great update here...
Joan

[art128]

Another fantastic update Jon, like Joan said, your use of FAR/FARR is absolutely stunning my friend. Also, the farms land are greatly done too. I like the disposition of trees and houses.

Looking forward to more.

Take Care,
-Arthur.

[Sciurus]

A very very beauitful region overviex, with the big city on the center, it's just impressive, and I repeat, it's beauitful

Guillaume

[kbieniu7]

Ohh. Every time I'm looking at those screens, I'cant move out from region view. I have said it few times, but I'll say it next time: "awesome region shot. 

[threestooges]

So much green space, and your neighborhoods, like in 36.02, are excellent examples of this. Single tile residential lots have the potential to appear overly dense (at least when I'm running things), but yours seem natural nestled in the trees. The area in the center of the mosaic, just south of the station reminds me of a scene I saw when I was in Kentucky, especially with the red-sided houses. You also continue to impress me with your use of the FAR/FARR and all those other curves. It's always a treat to come in here and see what you've been working on.
-Matt

[JBSimio]

Dave:  Thank you!  I actually wanted to do a much longer mosaic, but the rail line moves off the sides too much for me to follow it the entire route!   

Joan:  Thanks!  I'm glad you enjoyed Celebration Hills, although I'm not sure this next area is quite as pretty.    I probably should have used a test region first on the FAR/R pieces, but I just dove right in... so far I've only screwed up badly enough to revert to one backup city.    Great to see you as always, my friend!

Arthur:  Thank you!  I really enjoy making the farm areas of this region.  I often wish I still had some areas to fill in with more...

Guillaume:  Thank you!  I'm hoping that overview will look even better once I've finished filling in the bare spots.

Matt:  Thanks!  Part of the "nestled in trees" feel comes from the lots themselves.  Cycledogg and Mattb325 houses are very prominent in Covington... both of which have very well made lots.  Part of it is just my incessant need to plant trees anywhere I've left a blank tile.    Either way, I'm glad to hear that it works so well.  You should probably be careful mentioning Kentucky to the locals of North Carolina, though... they might get offended! 

I don't know how closely people compared the "before and after" region shots in Update 35.  But if you really studied them you may have gotten an idea of where we were headed for this particular...

Update Time!!!

Faithful (and long-time) readers may remember that, in the early stages of Covington's layout, there was some question as to where the best location would be for the large railyard serving the city.  The final location near Holden Road also added a rail spur across the southern side of the city to connect the High Point lines with the Ashboro lines.  While this made very good sense for Covington as a central hub to the North Carolina railways, it did drastically alter the future of one neighborhood.  Let's take a look at just what happened...

37.01


Just to get oriented a little bit, here is a look at the neighborhoods south of downtown Covington.  Oak Park essentially ends at the rail spur although it used to spill south a little further.  Much like the interstate system, forcing the railroad through an established part of the city made a mess of several things and The Flats was forever changed.

37.02


The southern edges of Oak Park are sheltered from the new line by a wall.  Much of Oak Park's charm remains even here at its southern limits, but we can see the squeeze of industries brought by the railroad.  Beyond the traffic wall looms more industry as we get closer to the Randlemann Road corridor.

37.03


Randlemann Road and the Ashboro lines follow pretty close to each other throughout the southern half of Covington.  The entire corridor is essentially a long stretch of industrial factories taking advantage of the wider avenue and the rail connections.  (The city's main landfill is also not far from here.)  The industrial area grew larger with the additional rails connecting to the main yard.  It's not the prettiest sight, but let's face it... people have to work somewhere, right?

37.04


Unfortunately, all those jobs come with a lot of pollution.  The housing stock on the eastern side of The Flats is less than impressive to say the least.  Away from the tracks, the neighborhood consists mostly of fairly rundown homes.  The houses are small... the lawns are brown... and it's doubtful that an address here will get you a promotion at work.  However, the prices are cheaper than anythnig you're likely to find at that abomination known as Wal-mart!

37.05


There are a number of larger apartments closer to the main Ashboro line.  Many of these older brick structures were built in happier times and were once quite nice places to live.  Sadly, they have deteriorated over time and now only add to the depressed feel of this area.  Several of these buildings are actually falling apart, but that doesn't seem to stop the landlords from renting the apartments out to those that need a place to call home.

37.06


The city has talked of reviving this area with more modern apartments, but most plans have called for lower income or government assisted housing like this one that has already been built.  It would certainly add more people, but odds are that it would do little to actually improve the area.

37.07


Moving west towards Freeman Mill Road provides a startling contrast.  McKoury Elementary school (in pink on the map) almost serves as a marker between the east and west sides of The Flats.  Despite continued squeezing from industries just north of the rail spur, this side of the neighborhood has really thrived.  If city leaders could figure out how this happened, they probably wouldn't be so quick to propose the newer apartment projects.  The only trouble is that the best answer they have come up with so far involves scratching their head or shrugging their shoulders.

37.08


A closer look shows that a few of the older shacks remain here, but most of the west side of the flats has become quite pretty.  Just to the west is Freeman Mill Road and its line of smaller commercial shops.  Cross that busy avenue, and you'll be back in the newer large industrial park spawned by the rail yards.  The Flats is a very mixed neighborhood surrounded by industry on three sides.  With very active development along the river to the south, this is one area that is sure to change as Covington grows.  Only time will tell whether all the influences surrounding this neighborhood improve or destroy it.

37.09


The latest look at how the city is filling out...

Thanks for reading!!!
JB

[bat]

Two fantastic new updates there and wonderful mosaic, too! Also nice work on your region! It looks beautiful!

[danielcote]

Yay new conscript release form that I dont understand 

Yay historic houses!

Yay two more updates th .... wait two more update Holly cow youre fast I cant keep up now.

Yay This is the Best day in my whole fricken virtuel online life    

You know those old appartment keep those big ones especialy that art deco ish one! and AND AND ... big breath you should have something like the convington Olympics that would be awsome!

[danielcote]

Also for that decaying aria put a park in on some old $ houses! 

[Jmouse]

Hey there, Jon. I always save a new Covinton update for a few minutes in time when I need a relaxing break, and you never fail to deliver!

The wall in 37.02 is a good idea - an established neighborhood like Oak Park needs protection from the noisy world of rail and industry. Good looking industry, though, and I see you're doing well with STR. Although 37.04-.06 is a bit on the seedy side, it wouldn't look right any other way. After all, that's life.

Of course, Freeman Mill Road is more to my liking - champagne taste and beer budget! And the contrast is stunning when the two areas are compared. Both are built in similar fashion, both have some trees sprinkled around, yet there's a vast difference. A bit nicer houses, I guess, but still 1x2s. Interesting.

Realistic seems like an inadequate word for Covington, but it's the best I can do after hours of dealing with the demands of a mean old general in GRVII! 

Hope Covington stays around a lot longer - I need a nice relaxing break every now and then...
Joan

[Pat]

Jon you sneak you stuck in 3 updates while I wasn't looking tisk tisk lol.... That will teach me not to look  Anywho I enjoyed catching up here and seeing the wonderful country side and the low income housing!!!

[JBSimio]

Bat:  Thank you so much!  I truly appreciate you seemingly endless support, my friend!

Danielcote:  Thanks!  I'm glad I could help make your virtual online life better.    I could definitely throw a park or two in there to improve things, but I think I want to keep the low income look for now.

Joan:  Speaking of endless support... Thank you very much as well!  I can tell that a lot of thought goes into your comments here and I always look forward to the input.

Pat:  Thank you my friend!  It's good to see you again... I hope all is going well in the land of the Hodag!

Update Time!!!

Sorry... but I just can't help myself.  More fun with all those things that involve the letter R! 

38.01


I've almost finished everything south of the Cone River.  Here we come down the hill from North Ridge on the way to Fayetteville.  (Between Ashboro and Raleigh... for those of you that are keeping track at home)

38.02


Another random shot of the road weaving through the hills near North Ridge.  It took quite a while for me to get these right on the slopes, but I think I've finally got it figured out.  Still time consuming... but at least I know what to do now.

38.03


Speaking of Fayetteville... here's the newest view of the village.  Not much has changed besides the roads and rails, but we'll revisit again soon.

38.04


This is an old picture just west of Durham.  Consider this the "before"...

38.05


...and the "after."  Have I mentioned how much more I like this look?  I know there are still a few old jogs in my diagonal roads.  I'm holding off until David mails that little brown paper package. 

38.06


An overview of Durham.  I really like how all those funky intersections came out.  I had to move and bulldoze a few things, but it's still pretty close to the way it used to be.  Unfortunately, there isn't enough room to improve the rail junction south (to the left in this picture) of town... so I'm not sure what I'll end up doing there.

38.07


Just another random picture near Durham where the road follows the creek east of town.

38.08


Up north near Raliegh was the other area that needed a lot of sloped work.  Both these roads come down out of the hills.  I ended up needing to regrow quite a few farms here after I butchered some of them... but what can you do?

38.09


Inside Raliegh I began experimenting with working in tighter spaces.  This small railyard worked out pretty well.  There are many roads that aren't finished in town though.  I'll either need to redesign some things or wait for the next wave of pieces to do that.

38.10


Just north of Raliegh, the railroad crosses Coldwater Creek and joins up with the main line heading to Covington.  I wanted to leave one direction (heading to Covington) as double rails for increased traffic while making the other switch a lesser used option.  This also took some time to line up, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.


I had planned on a completely different ending for this update, but then the power went out for a while last night.  So I'm stuck sneaking this in before I leave for work this morning.  Either way... Thanks for reading!!!
JB

PS... According to our good friend, Dustin, today is No Lurking Day!  Post away folks!