Albatia Region

[bstrickland 0]

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Albatiaover.jpeg width=800 align=baseline> 

Welcome to the region of Albatia.  I have finally decided to post my region, comprised as of now of 5 distinct cities and towns with a total population of 450,000.  The main pulse of the region is the city of Kallah.  The cities and towns surrounding Kallah act as suburbs, feeding the growth of the 150,000 commercial jobs in Kallah.  A large network of interstates connects the region together, although it is still in its infancy stage.  Granite Bay and Kallah city share the MUNI subway system, which carries almost 100,000 travelers between the two cities.  Talks are in progress to add above ground high speed rail.  Three airports link the region by air, including Scarlette Island.  Shipping routes are clearly established, linking the industrial areas of Scarlette Island and the technological center of Kallah City.  There have been strong pushes to create a small resort town on the far island off the coast of Kallah City, and an agricultural center to the south. 

I did not use any cheats, just a couple of items I downloaded from Simtropolis (thanks!).

 

 

[will_silver00 0]

Hey bstrickland,

Firstly,
WELCOME TO SIMTROPOLIS!!!

And I get privilege of first reply too!! I like the potential in this CJ. The region looks to be coming along nicely - it gives you quite a lot of freedom when you terraform as you go, which is nice! I particularly like the use of islands -it looks really effective.

And from your introduction it sounds like you've got some big plans, and a great background to the region, so I wish you all the very best with your City Journal! I'd love to see those airports!

Good luck!!

Will

P.S.:
On previewing this post, I saw that you've added the pic to your post. Great call, but I'm afraid pics need to be kept to a 800x600 size on these forums. Just so you know.

[bstrickland 0]

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//AlbatiaTrans.jpeg width=800 align=baseline>

[bstrickland 0]

 

Once a small industrial outpost, Kallah has grown to a population of 315,000 and has become a magnet for high-tech research and commercial business.  Earlier settlers were attracted by the large expanses of water, rich mountain ranges and large islands.  Located on the oceanfront, the city is known for its outstanding beaches and long waterfront, thanks largely in part to the long tributary that empties into the ocean (the Jarharvis River), creating a Manhatten-esque island, home to many large corporations.  The city is in the crossroads of development, with several new neighborhoods opening almost on a daily basis.  Several propositions have been introduced to limit the amount of urban sprawl and to create vibrant cultural centers instead of large swaths of housing. 

 

In this photograph, the beachfront of downtown can be seen.  A popular tourist attraction, the beaches are usually packed during lunch hour and the weekends.  The prime real estate has been snapped up by developers looking to capitalize on the popular area. 

 

 

[bstrickland 0]

 

The riverfront.  The northern end of the technological center of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />Kallahl City.  There is still several more acres to expand in the current zoned land.  The Altamont Hills behind were razed in the fire of

[FavreKev04 13]

I like that, some of the buildings are brown so you need to get more jobs and people so they look alot better.

[jacqulina 162]

great start

[sloppet 3]

I hope this CJ will become a really great Cj in the future...
The previous updates were very nice...
Keep up the great work with this CJ Good Luck!!
I hope that this will ben not my last post in this Cj... Once again good luck!

Regards,
SloppeT

[bstrickland 0]

Sorry all. I've wanted to update, but work has been insane for the past 2 weeks. I hope to update with the newly founded region of Rio del Mar soon!

[jacqulina 162]

lookforward to more

[bstrickland 0]

As promised, a new update for my Albatia region.  Overall, the region has done very well over the past couple of years, reaching a total population of 630,000.  <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />Kallah City has expanded tremendously, adding a new shipping rail line to fuel the massive explosion in demand for high-tech goods, as well as a new neighborhood that is overlooked by a Nature Preserve featuring the Coit Tower.  Photos of this will be released soon. 

 

Calderon City (the new farming collective east of Kallah City) has grown to roughly 20,000 citizens.  The rolling hills are dotted with farms and wineries (leading to a high rate of alcoholism and crime), but the area has grown famous for its fine drinks and rural living.  Recently, the city completed the Calderon Museum of Fine Arts (CMFA) to attract tourists and business to the main downtown portion, but results have been mixed so far.  (photos coming soon!).

 

The focus of this update is the newly founded city of Rio del Mar.  Not to be confused with the small, sleepy town on the Monterey Bay (CA Central Coast for you out-staters + Intl. members), the city expects to grow to the likeness of Hong Kong and Rio de Janerio, with skyscrapers occupying almost all the flat land area between the mountains and the coast.  Founded by the horrific plane crash tragedy of

[jacqulina 162]

great update

[bstrickland 0]

 

Rio del Mar certainly is bustling!  The population tops 65,000 citizens, and is currently going through a huge boom in population.  These 35,000 citizens have set down in the past year alone, alarming some city planners that the city

[bstrickland 0]

 

Hi all.  I know, I know, long time with no update...I have no excuses other than work, and a lack of a computer for a week and a half.  I plan to sit around this 4th of July weekend and play, play, play!

The expanded growth of Rio del Mar has continued.  The city now has roughly 137,000 citizens, with several new neighborhoods being created.  Although there has been rapid expansion, the demand far exceeds the area allotted for new development, making developers build up instead of out.  There have been several new rumblings on the fault line, the strongest being a 4.1 earthquake.  More scientists are swarming to the area to study the full nature of the fault (leading to the soon creation of a high tech park beyond the coastal region--area still being debated by city council). 

 

[bstrickland 0]

 

Speaking of the city council, Rio del Mar has constructed a new city hall, complete with a L shaped plaza.  Current plans call for the plaza to be filled with parks and trees, to allow the surrounding neighborhood and commercial area a place to relax.  With city hall so close to the inlet, rumor has it that a beach will soon be constructed (possibly to allow last minute compromises within city hall over exotic cocktails and surf).

 

 

 

[bstrickland 0]

 

Another recent addition to the city of Rio del Mar are the rich suburbs that are starting to appear.  While the city does suffer from a relatively high rate of unemployment (due to the influx of citizens and the lagging creation of high paying jobs), those that are well off are doing quite well. 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is just another overview of the entire region of Albatia.  Note the new high wealth development in Kallah City (deemed Brooklyn) just off the shore of midtown.  These are for the wealthy commuters who work in Midtown, but want a slightly more laid back style of living (but still living in an urban environment).  City planners are zoning the entire area outside the main urban area of Brooklyn for sprawling suburbs (although an extensive plan for parks and wildlife refuges are planned).  Photos of this area are expected soon.  With just over 700,000 citizens, the area sure is pumping! 

Also (if you can see it) the battleship SS Strickland is stationed off of the shore of Brooklyn, awaiting the construction of the new naval base that should protect Kallah City and its neighbors from regional aggression. 

 

 

[bstrickland 0]

An update to the transportation map.  The freeway has been much expanded over the years, connecting more and more regions to the main centers of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />Kallah City and Rio del Mar.  A small rail line (used mainly for industrial goods) has sprouted through Kallah City, although there are plans to add passenger capability.  Competing plans have been laid out to develop a light rail system for rapid public travel throughout the region.  With traffic increasing on the roads and airports, this may be just what Albtia region needs to spur more development and to ease congestion. 

 

 

 

URGENT UPDATE:  Scientists report that stress levels in the fault line in Rio del Mar have grown in the past hours to dangerous levels.  Several new drilling operations are undergoing to determine the extact risk to the city.  Residents are on edge and stocking up on supplies. 

[bstrickland 0]

Another update for my city journal

[bstrickland 0]

 

Another update on <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />KallahCity.  Over the decades, KallahCityhas remained the central hub to the region, providing thousands of jobs in its two distinct commercial districts, midtown and downtown.  Downtown is slowly gaining strength as the main place to live, work and play, with several new elevated rail networks bringing in commuters to the high paying jobs.  The new, ultramodern Kbank (KallahBank) Tower dominates the skyline, ensuring to be the tallest building in the region for quite some time to come.  The bank

[bstrickland 0]

Question for all those who view my CJ (how many that is, I'm not sure).  I'm thinking of expanding the community of Brooklyn beyond the main roads.  While I have ruled out any high density development (I really want to focus on creating the unique communties so many of you have focused on), do you think farmland or low-density housing (or a combination of both?).  I'm siding with low density housing myself, but I wanted some sort of input. 

 

I would really appreciate your comments--

 

thanks!

[oroen 0]

A few pointers:

When you're taking pictures, turn your city detail setting to High. Even if your computer can't handle it normally, at least do so for the pictures so we can see things better.

Don't drag your streets all the way out to the shore. Use your shorefront for a park, some promenade areas, piers, a boulevard or even a freeway. Even waterfront buildings have something between them and the water. But when you have stubby streets coming all the way to the end, and buildings hanging precariously along the shore, it just doesn't look right (I used to do that as well until I realized better... )

You seem to have a good background story on your region, so maybe instead of only one or two pictures per post, organize a presentation-style update. Really do what you can to showcase your region. I guarantee that a good presentation style will get people's interest.

As for your question, if you want a truly diverse region, make some farmlands with a few houses scattered here and there, but also make some large suburban housing development areas. Variety is the key to a good region!

[bstrickland 0]

Thanks for the pointers Oroen. If my poor baby, Mr. Bojangles (my flimsy iBook), can crank out the juice, I'll up the graphics level. I do usually keep them pretty low (I have to run the game on an external hard drive). Thanks for the tips----Albatia will be smokin in no time!!

[bstrickland 0]

So I managed to squeak some power out of Mr. Bojangles, and now my photos should be seen in all of their glory.  I upped the sim and car graphics mode to high, but for some reason, the streets are empty.  I

[bstrickland 0]

  Today, the focus of my update is Rio del Mar.  She

[U.S.K.C. 0]

thats very cool.....Nice earthquake story!!!

[djrules5454 5]

That's very nice!  I would suggest turning off the UDI indicators, though.

[Traffic_Jam 0]

Nice work!

[gurrgkud 2]

bstrickland

 

Your CJ is coming along quite nice! I can see a lot of progress going on. The region looks like it will be very nice when finished. The downtown areas are amazing. it has a lot of variety to them. However, one little thing that I saw was recurrent throughout your pictures was that there's a lot of abandoned things. Maybe you might want to check out whats going on, and implement the modifications as you build so that everyone is happy

 

Good luck.. and keep it up!

[bstrickland 0]

Thanks all for your comments!!

U.S.K.C. Why thanks. I was a little too bored at work today, and that was the creation.

djrules5454_simtropolisedition
Appreciate it. I never use them anyway, so they'll be off in the next update. Thanks!

Traffic_Jam Thank you!

gurrgkud Thanks again. That is something that I am trying to tackle. I think I have long commute times combined with too fast residential growth with not enough commercial growth. I'm working on it!

-Oh- and I Like your pride sign

[newyorkrunaway1 110]

great cj!!! keep it up!!! pm me for that pride pic in his and my sig, i host it, if you want, you can use it too