Winchester

[bbfan02 23]

Wow, another amazing update! This is why you get so many comments! I love the overview and the floor maps are great.

-bbfan02-

Welcome to page 5!

[crazyyaya 4]

Very unique update dfnva. You only had a few in-game pictures, but you made up for it with the great extra graphics. The labels and icons on the overiview shot are a nice touch to all your updates. And your repetation of the midrise brown building looks suprisingly good. I like the focus on the shopping centresaswell, defiantly goes well with the suburban houses. Oh, and of course, I like the new store too lol.

[ky72x 13]

Nice job on the latest update. Your custom signs for the mall were great, and all the information about it was interesting to read. It's too bad that some malls have to go through that kind of phase sometime, but eventually business starts picking up again. I sure hope that the same can be said for the Winchester Mall. Keep up the excellent work!

- Kyle

[edmonton_stinks 5]

I like the new logo and the concept for the new store. Sounds like a pretty good way to make money.

If this is a vote, I vote renaissance. If not, I'm still cheering for the Winchester Mall.

[suplado! 23]

wow -- the overview looks really nice!! really nice road layout...

[pickled_pig 7]

Hey Dan

Lots of good stuff in the past few updates.  The university campus (on page 2) is fantastic and I liked how you "updated" us on the status of the mall.  Perhaps the Black Market will bring people to the mall - if they don't want to shop the Internet for their used textbooks.

I find it interesting that Ron Paul came second in the "primaries" (page 3?) - though I'm not a fan of Paul (nor a Republican, for that matter), it's a sharp contrast to his typical media presence (or lack thereof... until the Florida Republican debate earlier this week).

-aaron

[packersfan 666]

I love the roadgeekery...your region isn't flashy, but the roadgeekery makes up for that, and this is one of my inspirations for my region, though I'm not sure I can do it as well as you!

[Equilibria 16]

I've seen plenty of malls in this situation, and each seems to have its own strategy for dealing with decline. The most spectacular in Boston is the Natick Mall, which was sold to Simon, entirely renovated, and recently expanded with high-rise condos and driven upmarket (the 4th largest mall on the East Coast now). Maybe the upmarket angle would work here, since no other shopping area seems to be covering it.

That, or you could just tear it down and build a residential development, or a minor league stadium, or something.

[kj3400 178]

Great update. There is a mall (Westview) near me that went through a state of deterioration just like Winchester's. They eventually closed the inside portion of the mall and turned it into something similar to a shopping center. I only hope Winchester Mall doesn't have to go through that, I really miss walking through Westview.

[Simfan34 11]

Not, good, not good at all. That mall redevelopment is quite saddening to see, to be honest. Maybe my Corata corp. could buy it up?

[dfnva 34]

Bbfan02: Thanks, the floor maps for Winchester Mall are definitely more sparse now than the ones on page 2.

Crazyyaya: Well, hopefully if you like the Black Market, that means Winchester college students will. Thanks for your comment. I always want to make sure folks see what I want them to see in a screenshot, so that's why I lables. 

Ky72x: Thanks! I tried to invoke what a shopping center sign along a major highway would look like. 

Edmonton_Stinks: Some malls, while they may not be up to their original use or glory, often serve niches and maybe the Black Market will help Winchester Mall do that, glad you like the logo and idea. Thanks for visiting.

Suplado: Thanks for your comment. Glad you like what you see.

Aaron/Pickled Pig: Glad to see you back, though hopefully there will be some long-awaited Graham/Wellington updates. As for the election, I gave Ron Paul a strong showing because I, uh Massopax citizens, that is, like his anti-war stance. Though I think he's far off to the right on other issues. Good luck with your college applications.

Packers Fan: I definitely enjoy the roadgeekery in your CJ, so hope you keep it up. I don't intend for my region to be flashy, but rather my take on an American small-to-medium sized city and sprawl. 

Equilibria: You've got some good points about malls and commercial development. Commerical development in general comes in phases.... downtowns died in favor of suburban malls. Suburban malls die in favor of outer-suburban fake downtowns. Downtowns have a renaisance. Then the whole thing repeats. 

KJ3400: Probably Winchester Mall (as I see it) will eventually be de-malled depending on whether Sear's stays or not and the possible success of the Black Market.  Thanks for your comment.

SimFan34: Hmmm.... an international conglomerate to buy the locally-owned Winchester Mall? Sounds intriguing though what would be the goals for buying it? (i.e. making money off of real state buy selling it again as a profit, bringing in more retail anchors, etc.)

=========

Before I move on to the meat of today's mini-update, I was wondering if anybody had a suggestion for which airport set(s) to download?? I was looking them up on the stex and there were so many. I plan on building a medium-sized regional airport... obviously Winchester (at this point, anyhow) does not need an international airport.  

Thanks for your suggestions!

=========

And now, Live from the heart of the Massopax Piedmont, this is CBS 3 NEWS at 11pm.

Good evening and thanks for being with us. 

I'm Chris Hamilton. And I'm Karen Vargas.

New at 11 tonight, the Massopax State DOT's board of directors has voted to have I-79 go through Winchester along US-27 and I-134. The board decision was split widely.

One of the major construction projects will be to build a higher capacity interchange that is safer downtown where US-27, West Moore St, and I-134 come together.

Here is a rendering that shows what the new junction may look like when construction

[tomdapom 79]

Cool update! I can't wait to see I-79 completed!

[SCDawg 0]

Another Excellant Update! Will US-27 be upgraded to three lanes south of the river? 

I've been through Elkton, Va many times, going to Harrisonburg, I had forgotton about that town because when you are on US-33 you really don't even go through the town, it's just the interchange with US-340 I believe.

Keep up the Great Work!

[edmonton_stinks 5]

That is one elaborate looking interchange. Good luck building it!

[bbfan02 23]

Great little flash there on the news! I cant wait to see that project completed!

-bbfan02-

[super_monkey 0]

Nice job. Very realistic.

[jacqulina 162]

wonderfull work so far my friend and great pics

[kj3400 178]

Oh darn. So much for that. On a completely different note, I believe you made an excellent decision. The interchange looks like something that's in the works for my region... when I get the city built (lol). Are you going to use MIS for the interchange?

[Need4Camaro 50]

Wow!!! Very nice CJ! I was honestly going to suggest another option, From the South, I-79 would follow U.S. 27 from Elkton, however when reaching the I-134 Interchange, to proceed North onto Union Avenue instead and navigate to Highway 620 where it will cosign (or eliminate) with Highway 620 and proceed Northwest toward Rosewood all the way to I-34 where it could eventually depart and proceed on its course... In my honest oppion, there is no need to route I-79 along I-134 and U.S. 27 to the Northeast as there is already a sufficient freeway servicing the area, this way now the North West side of town will have faster access to Winchester and thus more development along the new freeway... Otherwise this looks extremely realistic... I recommend using the terrain slope mod for more realistic slopes on your freeways though...

btw I've traveled on U.S. 27 between the Florida Turnpike and Miami Florida... it's a pretty decent highway, some interchanges along the way but mostly at grade... but to emphasis, next time I'm taking the Turnpike...

[dfnva 34]

Tomdapom: I can't wait to complete I-79 either, it's not simply going to be a cosmetic makeover of US-27. Thanks for your comment.

SCDawg: I think part of I-27 will be three lanes but once one gets out of the general Winchester area it will be two lanes. There is a business route that goes through Elkton, VA, which I sorta reflected in my take on Elkton. Thanks for your comment.

Edmonton-Stinks: Thanks, I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to make the interchange yet with complications from nearby buildings and proximity to the Wanata River, but it will be safer as it eliminates cloverleafs with higher speed/capacity ramps. 

Bbfan02: Thanks for your comment, glad you liked the news station shots.

Super Monkey: Thanks for your comment and visiting. 

Jacqulina: Thanks, glad you liked the pictures in this update.

KJ3400: I don't think I'm going to use MIS for the downtown interchange as while it is realistic looking, it has limitations. Good luck on the interchange you're working on.

NeedforCamaro: You've made an interesting observation and suggestion, however a lot of buildings downtown would have to be demolished along Union Ave (US 27-Business) and Horton Ave (SR 620). Interestingly, the Massopax DOT must have anticipated your concerns as Greysboro Rd (SR 620), from I-34 south to Deltown Rd (MP-165), was widened to four lanes recently. I've never been on US-27 in real life, I made this one up to jive with other route numbers already used in my previous CJ. 

And now... 

Today, we once again begin driving and we're coming in from the west along US-84 / Fortlick Rd. This portion of US-84 passes through some rolling hills and agricultural areas.

As we've just entered Piedmont County, we see the requisite reassurance marker and mileage sign, including some ancient relics that have somehow managed to not be replaced. Alexandria is the capitol of Massopax (as seen in my previous CJ).

 

Here we appear upon an intersection...

A Simtropolis First! Signage in 3D (for the above intersection)! Ok so it's not all that exciting but it sort of gives you the perspective of seeing the signage from both ways.

Scenes like this are why I love driving through the mountains of VA.

Here are some signs for an upcoming intersection...

Here we enter the village of Harris. 

Here's Signage at the JCT with SR 642. To the left, SR 642 crosses I-34 while to the right, SR 642 becomes a dirt road and goes up a mountain (hope you have a lot of horsepower if you attempt that).

 

Is Harris the next Silicone Valley? Probably not but these high tech industries deal with genetic engineering and agricultural technology.

[ky72x 13]

Nice work on the signs and the labels. I liked all of the various types of development along Fortlick Road, well done on it! The gas station was a good business to have on a main thoughfare.

- Kyle

[SCDawg 0]

Another Great Update! Harris looks awesome, as well as the rest of the area. There's just something about how the trees and farms and dirt roads that make that last picture look really realistic. I'm just guessing, but is that interchange in the top right-hand corner the nothern terminus of Rte. 427 at I-34?

Travis

[Equilibria 16]

Nice work on those rural areas. I like the dissonance between "Fortnick Memorial Highway" and "Fortnick Road." Very realistic.

[jacqulina 162]

great rural my friend i like the roads and the journey along them

[kj3400 178]

Nice rural areas. It's a change from the urban areas I'm used to. Incidently, the interchange is US 27 and Rt. 427. Am I right?

[gabry85 2]

Wow, I especially like the Goose Creek shot!

[vivydu29 60]

Wow, It's very beautiful, great work.

[Andronicus22 1]

very rual, i have to say i do like the creeks, keep up the good work!

~andro~

[Haljackey 17,325]

Wow, nice job! I like the rolling hills and the quaint setting.

You even make your own road signs? And news? Now, thats commitment!

Best,

-Haljackey

[Benedict 3,119]

Nice update - I love the rolling hills of farmland.