How do you get buildings to be occupied again?

[TeddyAbbie 2]

So the don't become dirty-looking? Thank you!

[TeddyAbbie 2]

And also, what's the best commute time for the sims? (On the commute time graph) Thankss!!

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

If you are going to post two things adjacent, use the edit button, please.

 

1.  Try painting them with god-mode trees.  To get to god mode full force hold down CTRL+SHIFT+ALT and click the god button.

 

2.  That graph is so broken it is not worth talking about.  If you have the NAM, then don't worry about it.

[Cyclone Boom 16,875]

Building occupancy is mainly related to desirability (where people want to live). If a building is no longer desirable to a certain developer type, people will move out, lowering the occupancy. This will result in wealth dilapidation which gives the “dirty” appearance. Eventually it can lead to abandonment (zero occupancy), which is more serious.

 

Building more parks and services can help to improve the desirability of a given area. Planting trees will contribute by reducing local air pollution. It’s also important that your services are well-funded. Try and place these services strategically, making sure all areas are covered. Using the can make this easier. There’s another one that keeps the monthly costs in proportion.

 

Population may also be a factor. If there aren’t enough people living in your city, zone some additional residential in the more desirable areas.

[fefenc 77]

Just plop parks everywhere

[Prophet42 1,501]

To Cyclone Boom's point, you should try to find the underlying cause of the abandonment.  If the buildings are abandoned because of commute time, improve your transportation network or zone jobs closer by.  If they are abandoned due to pollution, reduce the pollution.  Once you find the cause, then you can make the correction.

 

As a side note, you can also bulldoze the abandoned building and see what redevelopes.  This can balance out the simulator and maybe reduce the amount of abandonement.

[SimCities 11]

To make buildings become occupied again, I try to beautify an area which is looking run down. Plantation and services such as Police Stations etc, most of the time help an area become thriving again! After all, Sims don't like living near heavy industrial areas 

[danathomas 7]

NO. you need balance. Change the abandoned buildings with a lower density residential, or commercial. Over time the commercial jobs will mature and you can go back and add density. The more you expand the more that the desire will change. Adding High tech jobs nearby also helps quite a bit.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

True.  An abandonment policy is needed.  If a building abandons, downgrade its zoning.  If it goes out at low density, change it to residential.

 

Balance is needed as well as thrift.  Keep the number of high density commercial 4 x 4 lots down to only a few and add new ones (by rezoning if necessary) when the other buildings fill up.  Only one new lot at a time, and be patient.