To demolish or nor to demolish? ... that is the question

[Mr Hoot 1]

Just a couple of quickie questions,

1) If a residential building becomes abandoned due to a long commute time, is there any advantage in demolishing it so it can re-grow?

2) Will buildings grow quicker if I demolish them straight after upgrading a zone (say from low to medium density residential)?

Cheers!

[Prophet42 1,500]

1) I usually demolish any building that is abandoned due to long commute time. I have never known a building to become re-occupied once it is abandoned to commute time.

2) I would leave the buildings alone after upgrading the zone. Even if you demolish them right away, there is a good chance the initial buildings that are rebuilt will be of a lower density anyways. Let the simulator build the right density of buildings it needs.

[Indiana Joe 1,750]

Buildings will become re-occupied after becoming abandoned. But it's usually faster to demolish them and let a new one grow. The only thing is: you haven't solved the problem. The next building that grows there will probably also become abandoned, because you haven't done anything about that lot's commute time. Your best bet is to improve local transportation and introduce new jobs, then demolish the abandoned building.

As for your second question, I completely agree with Prophet's answer.

[viddy 3]

Also, when you upgrade the density, it will keep the wealth level of the lot you rezoned. So, if you change some medium wealth zones to medium density, the taller buildings will be either medium or high wealth.

If you're trying to get low wealth apartments in an area with medium or high wealth houses, you'll need to demolish those houses so that low wealth can be built. But, if you're trying to get medium or high wealth apartments, then don't demolish the houses that are already there or it might build low wealth and you'll have to wait for them to upgrade on their own.

[screamingman12 30]

I wouldn't demolish them. I know they're going to look ugly but they eventually will be re-occupied. In addition, demolishing a building further throws off the demand for that particular zone, leading to even more abandonment (demand will drop as once-full parcels are developed) if done on a large scale.

[paeng 2,507]

But it's usually faster to demolish them and let a new one grow. The only thing is: you haven't solved the problem.

Yeah, that is very true... So you need to work on improving conditions, because the longer it stays abandoned or keeps abandoning, the surrounding area will become less desirable as well.

* Note also - if the abandoned building is a plopped RES, it will never re-occupy.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

There is a trick that sometimes works after you've fixed the problems associated with abandonment. Try painting the abandoned building with god mode trees.

[Bdub01 201]

I almost always demolish abandoned buildings residential, commercial, and industrial. I think they look ugly. If I demolish one another pops up and it gets abandoned I check out what's going on such as add more jobs a bus station etc.

[Mr Hoot 1]

Thanks for all the advice/suggestions guys!