An Alternate Universe: A tour of cities around the world (in a slightly different universe from our own)

[thecitiescenter 3,025]

Hi everyone,

 

I recently started a City Journal using the City Journals feature on Simtropolis... but I also wanted to create a thread here for any questions or comments from followers of my CJ.  I also want to use this thread as a means to provide highlights, quick updates and my own comments of my full journal entries in the City Journals section.  In essence, I am hoping to use this thread as a way of not only communicating with all of you, but also to give a summary of the full entries that I have made over in the City Journals section, as well as updates that don't necessarily warrant a full entry.  I will also post bonus materials and pictures here as well.

 

You can visit my full CJ here:  https://community.simtropolis.com/journal/5001-an-alternate-universe/

 

 

As far as this thread goes, I will start out with some highlights of Portland, the city I was born in and lived in until I graduated from college.  I started building my version of Portland way back in 2004.  Over the last 10 years (wow... time flies), I've slowly added pieces to the city on and off in my spare time.  

 

Here are some snapshots of Portland from my full CJ entry.  Hope you enjoy them!

 

 

Downtown Portland

 

 

 

Lloyd Center and the Oregon Convention Center

 

 

 

 

The Rose Quarter

 

 

 

Hollywood District

 

 

 

Portland International Airport

 

 

 

 

Special thanks to: jtportland and my friend sparkythepenguin, two amazing BATers who are no longer active on Simtropolis for creating the Portland-related content that made it possible to place replicas of real Portland buildings throughout my version of the city... without their work, this CJ wouldn't be very Portland-like at all.  Also thanks to rebel13 for providing the map in which this city was built, and to mike_oxlong, the SCAG, and AC teams for the airport-related content.

 

 

That's it for now, please feel free to leave any comments or questions and I will try my best to answer them!

[TekindusT 3,809]

Loved that "Keep Portland Weird!" billboard. Keep it coming!

[Schulmanator 5,787]

Welcome! Glad to have you here.

[thecitiescenter 3,025]

Thanks TekindusT and Shulmanator! 

 

Next up, I'm thinking of showing either my version of Seattle, WA or Eugene, OR.  I posted a poll on the 4th entry of my full CJ here:  https://community.simtropolis.com/journal/5001/entry-24260-portland-oregon-part-4-downtown-portland/

 

For those of you who are following my CJ, please feel free to go and vote for which city you'd like to see next.

 

I'll leave the poll open until approx. the end of the week and will post my next city shortly after.

[thecitiescenter 3,025]

Welcome to Seattle, Washington!

The next city on our tour will be Seattle, Washington.  The largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. 

 

Our tour will begin with a visit to Seattle/Tacoma International Airport (aka SeaTac, SEA).

 

For the full CJ entry, please go to: https://community.simtropolis.com/journal/5001/entry-24316-seattle-wa-part-1-seatac-airport/

 

 

[BLANKBLANK 4,414]

Great airport! The aircraft annotations were a nice touch to.

[thecitiescenter 3,025]

Hi everyone, I've posted part 2 of my Seattle tour over at the CJ section. 

 

For the full entry please go here: https://community.simtropolis.com/journal/5001/entry-24326-seattle-wa-part-2-southcenter-to-boeing-field/

[JP Schriefer 5,590]

Great update! I loved the airport again

[thecitiescenter 3,025]

Welcome to Part 3 of our Seattle tour!

As we continue along I-5 north, we are quickly approaching downtown Seattle. However, before that, let's check out the areas south of downtown. We will make a couple stops here, then we'll take a scenic loop around the east side of the Seattle metropolitan area, up to the University of Washington, and then finally, loop back around to downtown.

South of Seattle's downtown core is a large industrial area and the Port of Seattle's Duwamish Waterway seaport facility. The Port of Seattle owns and operates Seattle/Tacoma International Airport, as well as Seattle's seaports. Seattle's seaports handle approximately 2 million containers each year, making it the 14th largest container port in the United States and the 57th largest in the world. It is one of the primary container ports on the west coast of the United States, being the 4th largest on the US west coast in terms of containers handled, behind only the Ports of Oakland, Los Angeles and Long Beach.





This area is also home to Starbucks' world headquarters. Starbucks is one of the many major companies that call the Seattle area home.



Just south of downtown, I-5 meets I-90 an east-west interstate highway that stretches from here all the way across the country to Boston, Massachusetts. Interestingly enough, I-90 starts near Safeco Field, home to Major League Baseball's Seattle Mariners, and ends near Fenway Park, home to Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox. We'll be taking I-90 toward Spokane in a little bit. But for now, let's take Exit 164A to Edgar Martinez Drive.



Located along Edgar Martinez Drive is Safeco Field, the home of the Mariners. Safeco Field seats 47,476 for baseball and features a retractable roof so that games can be played when it rains, which it so often does in Seattle. The ballpark is also home to the Mariners Hall of Fame, and the Mariners Team Store.



North of Safeco Field is CenturyLink Field, home to the current NFL Superbowl Champions, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Seattle Sounders Major League Soccer team. CenturyLink Field seats 67,000 for NFL football games and 38,300 for MLS soccer matches (the upper seating sections of the stadium are closed for soccer matches).



Now let's head east toward the suburb of Bellevue. We'll take I-90 East. I-90 features Express Lanes for 2 person+ carpools and buses.



Just east of downtown Seattle, I-90 enters the first of a series of tunnels. There are also variable speed limit message signs that can be changed electronically to reflect real-time road conditions. Washington state is one of a few US states to currently use variable speeds on freeways. Variable speeds are currently used on this stretch of I-90, as well as I-5 around downtown Seattle. The maximum posted speed on this stretch of I-90 is 60 mph, but the speed limit can be lowered if need-be, based on road conditions.



As we exit the first I-90 tunnel, we approach Lake Washington and the Lake Washington Floating Bridge. The bridge actually consists of three different bridges, the Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge, the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge, and a parallel 2-lane bridge in between.

Currently the Lacey V. Murrow Memorial bridge serves the six general purpose lanes of I-90. The Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge serves I-90's six Express Lanes. The bridge in between features two reversible lanes that increase capacity into Seattle during the AM peak hour, and outbound during the PM peak hour. Access to the reversible lanes are controlled by electronic signs and automated barriers that indicate to drivers which direction is open.



The bridges connect Seattle with Mercer Island.



On the other side of the bridge, I-90 enters another tunnel.



We are now in the city of Mercer Island, Washington, a Seattle suburb that is located on an island that shares the same name as the city. Mercer Island is a very affluent area. Many homes on the island have views of the surrounding Lake Washington. The median house sale price here is approximately $1,001,500, making it #209 on the list of most expensive ZIP codes in the United States.



From here, I-90 continues eastbound, crossing over Lake Washington again and leaving Mercer Island. Shortly after, I-90 meets I-405. We will take I-405 North to downtown Bellevue.



Bellevue is Seattle's second largest suburb (smaller in population to only Tacoma). Bellevue is home to 133,992 residents. It is also home to many technology companies, and is adjacent to the Seattle suburb of Redmond, home of Microsoft, Nintendo (North America) and Valve. Companies such as Boeing, HTC, Microsoft and eBay have significant offices and operations in Bellevue. Retail store Eddie Bauer is also headquartered in Bellevue.



Downtown Bellevue has many skyscrapers, especially for a city of it's size. It is also home to the Meydenbauer Center/Bellevue Convention & Performance Arts Center, Bellevue Square Mall, multiple retail stores and major hotels.



For the last decade or so, there's also been quite a condo boom in Bellevue, with many high end/luxury condominium towers built. The tallest are the Bellevue Towers (two twin buildings, each with 43 floors of residential condominiums) and Lincoln Tower One (42 floors), which features 148 luxury condominiums, retail and restaurant space, a movie theater, and a 337-room Westin Hotel. Lincoln Tower One is shown in the photo below. It is connected to Bellevue Square Mall via sky bridge.



Bellevue Square Mall is one of the largest shopping malls in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is currently anchored by Macy's, Nordstrom, Sears and JC Penney. Other stores include Tiffany's, Hugo Boss, Armani Exchange, Lego, and the Microsoft Store (I've always wondered, who really goes to the Microsoft store?). Restaurants located in the mall include PF Changs, The Cheesecake Factory, Red Robin and Ruth's Chris Steak House. Bellevue Square attracts over 16 million visitors annually. Adjacent to the mall are other retail stores such as Crate & Barrel, office space, a Hyatt Regency Hotel, as well as the Bellevue outlet for Din Tai Fung, a famous Taiwan-based restaurant, and a Lucky Strike Bowling alley.

The mall is shown in the photo below.

 

 

Adjacent to the Meydenbauer Center are The Shops at the Bravern, a high end shopping and retail center. It is anchored by a Neiman Marcus department store, currently the only Neiman Marcus store in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Other stores currently include Gucci, Hermes, Tory Burch, Jimmy Choo, Sur La Table, Louis Vuitton, and David Lawrence. Basically a place to go if you're a guy and want to buy something really nice and expensive for your female significant other... or run away as fast as you can. Either one.




This entry is getting a bit long, so let's start heading back to Seattle. We should check into our hotel in downtown Seattle soon anyways. We'll hop back on I-405 north and take SR-520 west back into Seattle. SR-520 crosses over Lake Washington and brings us to the University of Washington (aka "UW"), located on the west bank of the lake.

Here we see Husky Stadium, home to the University of Washington Huskies football team. The Huskies currently play NCAA Division I football and are part of the Pacific-12 Conference. The stadium can seat up to 70,138 fans. The Huskies team colors are Purple and Gold. Adjacent to the football stadium is the Nordstrom Tennis Center (home to the Huskies tennis teams) and the Husky Baseball and Softball Stadium.



Every year, the Huskies take part in The Apple Cup, a rivalry football game against the Washington State University Cougars. Uhh... wait a second... I just noticed that the seats at Husky Stadium are the wrong colors... the seats are Crimson... that's not right, they should be Purple and Gold....... the Cougars' colors are Crimson and Grey... oh boy... looks like someone has played a prank of epic proportions here and switched out all 70,138 Purple seats with Crimson ones... I wonder if SimCoug knows anything about this?

Well, luckily for the die-hard Huskies fan who may suffer from a heart attack at the sight of seeing his or her beloved stadium decked out in Cougar Crimson, the UW School of Medicine and the UW Medical Center are literally a stones throw away...



The UW School of Medicine is currently ranked #10 in the nation in research and #1 in primary care and in rural medicine by US News & World Report.

To the north and west of the UW School of Medicine and the UW Medical Center is the main campus. UW was founded in 1861 and is one of the oldest universities on the US West Coast. It occupies over 500 buildings with over 20 million gross square footage of space.

US News & World Report currently ranks UW #42 overall in undergraduate academics, and #10 among public (non-private) US universities. For graduate programs, US News & World Report ranked UW #1 in primary care medicine and in nursing, #3 in social work, #3 in bio-statistics, #4 in library and information science, #5 in pharmacy, #6 in public health, #7 in statistics, computer science and education, #9 in research medicine, #20 in law and #21 in engineering.

Many of UW's students live in or around campus and the university has a prominent Greek System of fraternities and sororities, as well as many student organizations.

 

 

In the photo above, you can see the main part of UW's campus, as well as the I-5 bridges (one bridge serves the general purpose lanes, and the other serves the I-5 Express Lanes).

Also near the campus is an area with high density retail, restaurant, residential and office space which is part of the overall neighborhood that includes the UW campus and is also known as the U-District.



Hope you enjoyed this part of your tour!

Next up... downtown Seattle! Stay tuned!

[jmsepe 2,038]

Beautiful entry, I had wished to see Seattle's WaMu Tower though.

[thecitiescenter 3,025]

Beautiful entry, I had wished to see Seattle's WaMu Tower though.

 

 Thanks jmsepe!  Dont worry, WaMU Tower will be in the next entry.

[JP Schriefer 5,590]

Great update!

Biiiig port! Loved it!

Looking forward Seattle's downtown!

[thecitiescenter 3,025]

Thanks Schriefer!

 

 

And now the continuation!

 

We're here... downtown Seattle! Downtown Seattle is located between the Puget Sound and Interstate 5. It is the largest financial center and central business district in the State of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.
 

Since we were traveling southbound from the University of Washington our first stop in downtown will be Seattle Center, home to the iconic Seattle landmark, the Space Needle.

The Space Needle was completed on December 8, 1961. It was the tallest structure in North America west of the Mississippi River when it was completed. It stands at 605 feet tall (from the ground to the top of the antenna spire). Its highest floor is located 520 feet above the ground. The Space Needle was originally built for the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle. It has an observation deck at 520 feet and a rotating restaurant at 500 feet, both offering 360 degree views of Seattle and the surrounding areas. It also features conference, banquet and meeting space, some of which are located on the lower floors of the tower. There are gift shops located on the observation deck level, as well as at the base of the tower. The Space Needle's elevators feature windows that allow visitors to look outside as they go up and down.




Located adjacent to the Space Needle is the Experience Music Project (EMP). EMP is a nonprofit museum dedicated to contemporary popular culture. It has many exhibits related to music, as well as a Science Fiction Museum and Fantasy Hall of Fame.
 

 

Seattle Center is served by the Seattle Monorail, which was built for the 1962 World's Fair. The monorail today, is..., well, a bit very outdated. Last time I rode it, there was duct tape holding pieces together inside the train and I heard all sorts of strange noises... but, it moves, at least... most of the time. Actually, about 50% of the time, it breaks down... stranding passengers midway between Seattle Center and the monorail's only other stop, at Westlake Center in downtown. Sometimes, another train will pull alongside the one that broke down and passengers can transfer to the other (working) train. Most times, however, its really just a waiting game until maintenance can get the train started again. Despite all this, the lack of parking around Seattle Center still makes the monorail the most convenient way to get there.

Adjacent to the monorail station are some amusement park rides, and some retail/food services housed in the buildings that used to be the pavilions and exhibits during the 1962 World's Fair.

Also located at Seattle Center is Key Arena (shown below, bottom left), an indoor sports arena that can seat up to 17,000 people.


The exterior of Key Arena was renovated in 2010, after the original concrete roof collapsed during a rain storm. I guess the monorail isn't the only thing around here that's outdated! Anyways, the arena now features a glass roof and glass exterior siding. Key Arena can seat up to 17,000 people.

It once served as the home of the NBA's Seattle Supersonics basketball team. However, the Sonics moved to Oklahoma City in 2008 and became the Oklahoma City Thunder when an agreement to build a new arena in Seattle failed to materialize. Key Arena also once served as the home of the Western Hockey League (WHL)'s Seattle Thunderbirds. The Thunderbirds moved to a new arena in the suburb of Kent in 2009. Today, Key Arena serves as the home of the Seattle Storm women's basketball team of the WNBA, and the Seattle Redhawks of Seattle University, which play NCAA basketball here. Seattle University is part of the NCAA's Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

We leave Seattle Center with one more shot of the Space Needle, and the Experience Music Project.

 

From here, let's hop on the monorail, which will (hopefully) take us to Westlake Center in one piece.

Westlake Center is one of two major downtown Seattle shopping malls.



It also features the Westlake Center transit station, served by the Link light rail and multiple Sound Transit bus lines. The station is located underground and can be accessed via the basement level of Westlake Center mall. In this area, both Link light rail trains and Sound Transit bus lines operate in a series of tunnels that run underneath the streets of downtown Seattle. Additionally, the monorail station can be accessed via the top floor of Westlake Center, adjacent to the mall's food court.

On the block directly east of Westlake Center is the flagship store of Nordstrom (white building in photo below), a high end department store with many locations across the United States and soon opening in several cities in Canada. The flagship store building is also home to Nordstrom's corporate headquarters.

 

Directly east of Nordstrom is Pacific Place, another shopping mall. Pacific Place is an upscale mall and first opened in October 1998. Pacific Place is currently anchored by AMC Theaters (an 11 screen cinemas), Barnes & Noble and Barney's New York. There is also a Gordon Biersch restaurant and brewery on the top floor of the mall. Parking is provided by a multi-story, underground parking garage.

Also located in the surrounding area is a Macy's department store, which was formerly the flagship store of locally based Bon Marche. "The Bon" merged with Macy's in the early 2000s.

The twin towers of the Seattle Westin Hotel are also located near Westlake Center. Both towers feature 47 stories each.


From here, let's go west. Which brings us to Seattle's waterfront. But first, a stop at Pike Place Market... a famous public market featuring produce, fresh seafood (including "flying fish"), restaurants, cafes, bars, many food stalls, and stores. It is also home to the original Starbucks Coffee location, which unlike other Starbucks locations, still uses the original brown (instead of green) company logo.



Seattle's waterfront also features many restaurants and shops. As well as piers for boating and the Seattle Aquarium. The waterfront is a very popular tourist destination. Sims can also catch ferries from here, that will take them to a number of places including the suburb of Bremerton on the other side of the Puget Sound, various islands, and to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.



Seattle's waterfront is also home to several cruise ship terminals where cruise passengers embark to (or return from) their vacations in Canada and Alaska.




Just east of Westlake Center and Pacific Place is the Washington State Convention Center. The Convention Center sits atop a series of tunnels that allow traffic on Interstate 5 to flow through downtown Seattle.



The Convention Center is the largest convention facility in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.

Below is a photo of Interstate 5 through downtown Seattle. The mainline/general purpose lanes are on the right-side and pass through two separate tunnels in this area. The I-5 Express Lanes are on the left-side. Unlike the Express Lanes on I-90 that we saw in my last entry, the I-5 Express Lanes have no restrictions on number of passengers per vehicle. Anyone can use them when they are open for use. However, there are limited exits on the Express Lanes through this part of Seattle.



Adjacent to the Convention Center is Two Union Square, the 3rd tallest building in Seattle. Two Union Square stands at 772 feet, and features 56 stories. It was one of several tall buildings that were completed in the downtown Seattle building boom of the late 1980's.

Another shot of downtown Seattle, on the bottom right is 1201 Third Avenue, formerly known as the Washington Mutual Tower. This building was completed in 1998 and stands at 772 feet tall, featuring 55 floors.



The Seattle Public Library and behind it, Safeco Plaza, once the tallest building in Seattle.


Safeco Plaza from another angle...

 

 

On the south side of downtown is the Smith Tower and Pioneer Square. The Smith Tower is a historical landmark, and was completed in 1914. It stands at 489 feet tall and has 38 floors. It was the tallest building in the United States west of the Mississippi River until 1962, when the Space Needle overtook it.



Pioneer Square is an outdoor public plaza. Located near the square are the entrances to one of Seattle's famous tourist traps, the Seattle Underground Tour. If you like roaming around in basements, tunnels from the 1800's, walking through cobwebs, and seeing some re-created (probably fake) historical stuff, this would be for you. If not, then there are plenty of bars and restaurants in this area that are probably a better choice.




Located east of here is Seattle's government center, home to City Hall, various courthouses, the police department, the county offices, and the jail.




And now the tallest building in Seattle, Columbia Center. Columbia Center was completed in 1985. It stands at 967 feet tall, and features 76 stories above ground and an additional 7 floors below ground. The building is currently the second tallest building on the US west coast (shorter only to the US Bank Tower in Los Angeles, CA). In total number of floors, however, it is the tallest building on the US west coast.



There is an observation deck that provides 360 degree views located on the 73rd floor. The building also features a sky-lobby located on the 40th floor that serves as an elevator transfer point for visitors and tenants needing to access floors 41 through 76. The sky-lobby also features views of downtown Seattle and the surrounding areas, as well as a Starbucks coffee and a deli.

Located next to the Columbia Center and connected via underground walkway is the Seattle Municipal Building, which features 62 floors.



There is also an on-ramp that allows traffic to access Interstate 5 via a tunnel that passes under the adjacent buildings.



South of this area and adjacent to CenturyLink Field (that we saw in my last entry) is Seattle's King Street Station.



King Street Station is served by Amtrak and Sound Transit. There is an underground Link light rail station here, as well as an underground bus line. The station is also served by the Sounder Commuter Rail, which takes passengers between Seattle and Tacoma, a suburb located about 30 miles south of here, and Seattle and Everett. Three (3) Amtrak lines serve King Street Station - the Coast Starlight (operating between Seattle and Los Angeles, including stops in Tacoma, Portland, Eugene, and the Bay Area), Amtrak Cascades (operating between Eugene, Oregon and Vancouver, BC) and the Empire Builder (operating between Seattle and Chicago with stops in between).

Immediately east of King Street Station is Seattle's International District.



The International District is home to many restaurants, cafes, stores and services catering to Seattle's Asian community, as well as the general population overall.

The International District is anchored by Uwajimaya, a very large Japanese supermarket and gift store. Uwajimaya was founded in Seattle in the early 1900's. Today its flagship store occupies a very large space (Uwajimaya Plaza) in Seattle's International District. It also has outlets in the Seattle suburbs of Bellevue and Renton, as well as a location in Beaverton, Oregon (a suburb of Portland).

It's Seattle flagship store features many Japanese and Asian grocery items, Asian-themed gifts, a sushi bar, multiple food stalls, and a Kinokuniya bookstore, which sells Japanese books, Japan interest books in both English and Japanese, origami/stationary and other gift items.



The International District is also home to many Chinese businesses and restaurants.



There is also a Chinese themed park in the International District, Hing Hay Park.





As well as a much larger, Japanese themed park, Kobe Terrace Park.



In the early to mid 1990's, the area also saw an increase in Vietnamese and Southeast Asian businesses. Today, they, along with Chinese and Japanese businesses, occupy a stretch of roadway directly east and across Interstate 5 from the main core of the International District.



As Interstate 5 passes through this area, you can see the entrance to the northbound Express Lanes.



And that will be it for Seattle! I hope you enjoyed your visit. I will leave you with two more pictures.

First, one more shot of downtown Seattle from the south.



And lastly... a preview of what's to come




Thanks for following!

[JP Schriefer 5,590]

Wow! Big update!

Seattle downtown looks awesome! I loved Space Needle.

Nice job

[Ke|is 3,332]

Yesterday I discovered your CJ and I have...I must to say that it is very nice, I really enjoy watching all your pictures !! Looking forward to the future updates and cities, keep up the excellent job mate.

[Compdude787 916]

I can't see any of your photos. It says "Look who's popular...upgrade to plus for more bandwidth." You should consider putting your photos on a different website, like Imgur or Majhost to get around Photobucket's limit on bandwidth. Photobucket has gone to crap over the past year IMO.

[thecitiescenter 3,025]

Schriefer: Thanks! 

 

kelistmac: thanks!  glad you like my CJ, thanks for following!

 

Compdude787: thanks for letting me know!  I will begin migrating the pictures over...

 

(sigh), sorry for the inconvenience folks.  Will be back up shortly.

[thecitiescenter 3,025]

Again, sorry folks for the inconvenience, I guess I hit the Photobucket bandwidth limit... I've began migrating the pics over... and Downtown Seattle is now back up and running.

 

The other entries will be updated shortly. 

 

 

Edit: All entries should be back up and running now.  Thanks for your patience.  Remember, for full entries, please visit my CJ over at the City Journals Section...

 

https://community.simtropolis.com/journal/5001-an-alternate-universe/

[thecitiescenter 3,025]

Welcome to the San Francisco Bay Area!

The SF Bay Area is home to 7.45 million people. It is the largest metropolitan area in Northern California, and the second largest metropolitan area in the State of California.

It's three largest cities are:
San Jose (population: 1,000,536)
San Francisco (population: 837,442)
Oakland (population: 400,740)

The area is named after the San Francisco Bay, a large waterway that pretty much runs through the center of the metropolitan area.

Quick note on Freeway Terminology: In the Bay Area, Sims usually refer to freeways by their route numbers only. For example, Interstate 680 is generally referred to as "680". State Route 92 is referred to as "92", etc., etc. I'll be using the local terminology throughout.

AIR ARRIVALS

The Bay Area is served by three major airports with commercial passenger service: San Francisco International Airport (SFO), Oakland International Airport (OAK) and San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC). There are many other airports in the area that focus on military uses, executive and/or general aviation. For our tour, we'll be visiting the 3 major airports with commercial passenger service. We may see some of the other airports in passing, though, depending on time.

The largest airport w/commercial service in the Bay Area is San Francisco International Airport (SFO). SFO, with 104 passenger gates, is quite big... so I thought that it would warrant its own entry. Therefore, SFO will be shown in the upcoming (second) entry for the Bay Area. I hope to get that one out soon.

For now, let's visit Oakland International Airport (OAK) and San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC).


Oakland International Airport

Oakland International Airport (OAK) is located 5 miles south of downtown Oakland. The airport is owned and operated by the Port of Oakland. It is the closest airport in terms of distance to downtown Oakland and downtown San Francisco. The airport serves primarily as a reliever airport for the much larger SFO.

OAK has passenger service to cities throughout the United States, and has one scheduled daily non-stop flight to Mexico. It serves approximately 9 million passengers annually. The airport is a focus city for Southwest Airlines and a hub for FedEx.

OAK features 22 passenger gates, most of which have jetways. There are 3 passenger concourses, all of which are located in the same building. The airport is served by three runways.

Short term parking is available across the main roadway from the terminal building in an open-air, surface parking lot. Long term parking is available as well, with shuttle buses running to/from the long term parking lots and the main terminal building.

OAK also features several cargo centers. The cargo centers serve United Parcel Service (UPS) and FedEx. OAK is the primary cargo airport for domestic freight in the Bay Area. OAK is currently a hub for FedEx.

OAK also has general aviation facilities, with general aviation accounting for approximately 45% of the airport's operations.

In addition, the airport is served by the Bay Area Rapid Transit's (BART) "AirBart", a shuttle service that provides connections between the airport and the nearby Coliseum BART station. BART is a subway/elevated train system that serves the greater Bay Area.

Freeway access to/from the airport is provided by Interstate 880, via the Hegenberger Road and 98th Avenue exits.



Gates 14 through 22 are currently used by Southwest Airlines. In addition, there are food, retail and passenger service facilities in this section of the airport.



Gates 3 through 13 are currently used by Alaska Airlines, Horizon Airlines, Delta Airlines, JetBlue, Spirit Airlines and US Airways Express. There are also food, retail and passenger service facilities in this section of the airport.



Gates 1 and 2 are currently used by Volaris and Hawaiian Airlines. Volaris operates a daily, non-stop flight between Oakland and Guadalajara, Mexico. Hawaiian Airlines operates a daily, non-stop flight between Oakland and Honolulu, Hawaii. Passengers arriving on Volaris are directed to US Customs & Immigration, located in the main section of the terminal building.



The FedEx facility is located north of the main passenger terminal building along Ron Cowan Parkway.



FedEx currently operates MD-11F and A300F aircraft to and from Oakland. FedEx freight destinations from Oakland include Anchorage, Fresno, Fort Worth/Alliance, Honolulu, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Memphis, Newark, Ontario, Osaka-Kansai, Phoenix, Portland (OR), Reno/Tahoe, Salt Lake City, Seattle/Tacoma, Tokyo-Narita and Vancouver (BC).


San Jose Norman Y. Mineta International Airport

San Jose's Norman Y. Mineta International Airport (SJC) is located 2 miles north of downtown San Jose and approximately 50 miles south of downtown San Francisco. The airport is owned and operated by the City of San Jose. The airport primarily serves the South Bay Area, Santa Clara County and the greater Silicon Valley area. It also serves as a reliever airport for the much larger San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The airport is named after former San Jose mayor and US Secretary of Transportation, Norman Y. Mineta.




SJC has passenger service to cities throughout the United States. It also has scheduled non-stop international flights to Mexico and to Tokyo-Narita Airport in Japan. It serves approximately 8.75 million passengers annually.

SJC has two runways, Runway 36L/19R and Runway 36R/19L. SJC features 27 passenger gates, 24 of which feature jetways. Passenger gates are located in two terminals: Terminal A and Terminal B.

Terminal A is located on the north side of the airport, and Terminal B is located on the south side of the airport. Both terminals are physically connected to each other, however, access between the terminals is restricted to passengers w/tickets and airport staff only, as there is no non-secured connection between the two terminals. Non-ticketed visitors to the airport can either walk between the terminals outside (not recommended) or take the free shuttle bus operating between the two terminals and the long term parking lots.

Each terminal features its own ticket counter/check-in area, and baggage claim carousels. Both terminals also have their own parking garages, located across the airport's main roadway. The Terminal A parking garage is for short term parking. The Terminal B parking garage has short term parking on the 1st floor, while the upper floors house the airport's Rental Car Center. Below is a photo of the Terminal B parking garage and Rental Car Center.




Terminal A was completed in the early 1990s and is the older of the two terminals. Its ticketing area and security checkpoints were recently renovated. It currently serves All Nippon Airways (ANA), American Airlines, American Eagle, Delta Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue, United Airlines, US Airways and Volaris.






Terminal A is home to the International Arrivals area, a section of the airport dedicated to serving flights arriving from Mexico and from Japan. Passengers arriving on these flights proceed directly to US Customs & Immigration. Once they have cleared the passport and customs inspection, they can exit the airport to the curbside International Arrivals pick-up area. Passengers arriving on these flights can also transfer to domestic flights by proceeding to the TSA security checkpoint after clearing the passport and customs inspection. This section of the airport is also home to a first class/business class and frequent flier lounge.




All Nippon Airways (ANA) serves SJC with its Boeing 787 "Dreamliner" aircraft. ANA has one daily flight connecting SJC with Tokyo/Narita Airport in Japan. It is currently the only 787 flight operating to/from the Bay Area's 3 major airports.





Terminal B was completed in 2010. SJC Airport is unique in that the majority of the seats in the gate areas have their own electric outlet, so passengers don't have to spend any time walking around the airport trying to find the one, lone, obscure outlet in the entire airport to plug their electronics into (usually hidden behind a trash can).

Terminal B is used by Alaska Airlines, Horizon Airlines and Southwest Airlines.





Lots of flights connecting SJC with Hawaii destinations on Alaska Airlines...



SJC also has cargo facilities served by FedEx and UPS.

Next up... San Francisco International Airport (SFO)... it'll be BIG, so stay tuned!

[JP Schriefer 5,590]

Wonderful airport! I would like to do something like that!

[thecitiescenter 3,025]

Hi everyone,

Well, SFO isn't quite ready to show in full, yet. There's still some more work to be done, and I haven't quite gotten it to where I want it to be.

In the mean time, however, here are some teaser shots. I hope to get the full entry out sometime next week. Stay tuned!

[JP Schriefer 5,590]

Nice pictures again! 

This tunnel in the last picture is eye candy isn't it? Did you know where I can find it?

[thecitiescenter 3,025]

Nice pictures again! 

This tunnel in the last picture is eye candy isn't it? Did you know where I can find it?

 

Thanks Schriefer! 

 

The tunnel isn't eye candy, it's fully functional.  The file you're looking for is the Boston Central Artery/Big Dig pack by blahdy.

Here's the link: https://www.sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=942

[thecitiescenter 3,025]

San Francisco International Airport (SFO)



SFO is located on the Peninsula along the San Francisco Bay, 13 miles south of downtown San Francisco. It is the second largest airport in the state of California in terms of passengers served, the 7th busiest airport in the United States, and the 22nd busiest airport in the world - serving approximately 45 million passengers annually and featuring 104 passenger gates.

SFO is owned and operated by the City and County of San Francisco, although it is technically surrounded by San Mateo County. SFO is a hub for United Airlines and Virgin America, and also serves as Virgin America's base of operations. SFO has 4 runways, Runways 1L/19R, 1R/19L, 10R/28L and 10L/28R.

There are four passenger terminals: Terminals 1, 2 and 3, and the International Terminal. The International Terminal has two boarding areas: I-A and I-G. All terminals are physically connected, though secured connections (e.g. connections requiring passengers to go through only one security checkpoint are limited to certain terminals).

Freeway access to the airport is provided by a series of ramps connecting the airport terminals with the US-101 freeway, which is located on the western boundary of the airport property. The airport is also served by the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART). The BART SFO Airport station is located adjacent to the International Terminal. An automated people mover system called the "Air Shuttle" connects all three domestic terminals, the international terminal, all short term parking garages and the Rental Car Center, which is located about a half mile north of the airport.

SFO also features various cargo facilities, as well as major maintenance facilities for United Airlines and Virgin America.


Terminal 1 (T1)



Terminal 1 (T1) is located on the south side of the airport property and houses the B and C Gates. T1 is the oldest passenger terminal at SFO, and is scheduled for renovation soon. All flights using T1 are domestic flights. As such, passengers arriving into T1 can proceed directly to baggage claim, or transfer directly to other domestic flights departing from T1. Passengers transferring to domestic flights departing from Terminal 2 (T2) and Terminal 3 (T3) will need to go through security again at the departure terminal. Passengers arriving into T1 and transferring to international flights must also go through security again.




The T1 B Gates are currently used by Alaska Airlines, Jetblue, Southwest Airlines, US Airways and United Express.



The T1 B Gate area features multiple passenger service facilities, such as restrooms, nurseries and an animal relief area. T1 also has its own baggage claim facility and ground transportation connections serving both the B and C Gates, located on Level 1. In addition, there are restaurants, cafes, newsstands and a sports bar/grille located in this area of the airport.




The T1 C Gates are currently used by Delta Airlines. The T1 C Gates area features multiple passenger service facilities, such as restrooms, nursery, charging station, interpreting services, and a lost & found. T1 also has its own baggage claim facility and ground transportation connections serving both the B and C Gates, located on Level 1. In addition, there are restaurants, cafes, newsstands, a sports bar/grille and the Delta Airlines SkyClub located in this area of the airport.




Terminal 2 (T2)




Terminal 2 (T2) is located on the east side of the airport and houses the airport's D Gates. T2 was formerly known as the "Central Terminal" and served as SFO's main terminal building from 1954 to 1983. In 1983, the building was renovated and from 1983 to 2000, it served as the airport's International Terminal. In 2000, the new International Terminal at SFO was opened to the public and T2 again underwent extensive renovations. The renovations were completed in 2011, and T2 is currently served by American Airlines and Virgin America, the latter of which is based out of San Francisco.




T2 is a very modern facility and features many passenger service facilities, such as restrooms, nurseries, kids play areas, and a yoga room. In addition, there are many restaurants and shops located in this section of the airport. The concourses and boarding areas in T2 are very wide, allowing easy pedestrian flow throughout the terminal.


Passengers arriving into T2 can proceed directly to baggage claim and ground transportation connections on Level 1 of T2 or connect directly to any other domestic flight departing from T2. Passengers connecting to domestic or international flights in other terminals can either walk (inside) or take the automated Air Shuttle (outside). Passengers connecting to flights in other terminals will have to go through security again at the departure terminal.


Terminal 3 (T3)




Terminal 3 (T3) is located on the north side of the airport and houses the airports E and F Gates. T3 is used exclusively by United Airlines and United Express for UA's domestic and Canada flights.
T3 has its own baggage claim facility as well as direct connections to ground transportation options. T3 also features a secure walkway to the International Terminal's Boarding Area G, allowing domestic passengers arriving into T3 to transfer directly to international flights departing from the International Terminal Boarding Area G without having to go through security again.

The T3 E Gates were recently renovated and opened to the public earlier this year. Below is a photo of the T3-E Gates. The T3-E Boarding Area is a very modern facility with wide walkways and many passenger service facilities, restaurants/cafes/bars and shops. T3-E also features one gate capable of serving wide-body aircraft, such as United's Boeing 787.



The T3 F Gates are a bit older, but still feature many facilities for passengers.






Also located in T3 is a United Airlines Red Carpet Club for first class/business class and frequent fliers with status on UA's loyalty program.


International Terminal



The International Terminal is located on the west side of the airport and has two concourses, each with its own boarding area and security checkpoints. The two boarding areas are known as I-A (located on the south side of the International Terminal) and I-G (located on the north side of the International Terminal). The International Terminal opened in 2000 and is a very modern facility.

All flights arriving from international origins use the International Terminal, with the exception of some flights from Canada, since passengers on Canada flights pre-clear US Customs & Immigration in Canada. However, Air Canada currently uses the I-G Boarding Area. Likewise, some domestic flights use the International Terminal, specifically Hawaii-bound flights on Hawaiian Airlines (I-A). Passengers arriving into the International Terminal from domestic, Canada or Ireland flights can proceed directly to baggage claim on Level 1 upon arrival in SFO, or transfer to other flights within their arrival boarding area. Passengers arriving into I-G from Canada or Ireland can also transfer directly to T3 without having to pass through security again. Passengers arriving into I-A and I-G and wishing to transfer to other flights (in T1 and T2) must go through security again at their departure terminal.

All other passengers must clear US Customs & Immigration upon arrival. The US Customs & Immigration facility is located on Level 1 of the International Terminal. Once arriving passengers have cleared US Customs & Immigration, they can either exit directly out to the International Arrivals Waiting Area on Level 1, or re-check their bags and go through security again to connect to domestic flights departing from any of SFO's other terminals.



The International Terminal has its own set of short term parking garages, one garage for I-A and another for I-G. Both garages are connected underground to each other.

The International Terminal also has multiple shops/restaurants and passenger service facilities, including duty free shops. There are also multiple airline lounges for first class, business class and frequent fliers with status. The International Terminal is also home to the San Francisco Airport Museum, which features exhibits that are open for anyone to visit and is also the closest airport terminal to the SFO Airport BART station.

International Terminal Boarding Area A is currently used by Air France, Alaska Airlines (arrivals from Mexico only), Asiana Airlines, Avianca, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, Emirates, Hawaiian Airlines, Japan Airlines, KLM, Korean Air, Philippine Airlines, Virgin America (arrivals from Mexico only) and Virgin Atlantic.










International Terminal Boarding Area G is currently used by Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways (ANA), EVA Air, Lufthansa, Swiss Air and United Airlines (international flights only).







That's it for SFO Airport. Next we'll swing by some of the Bay Area's suburban cities. Stay tuned...

[simlink 1,098]

Airport is something I wish I've gotten into, but I just haven't been able to in SC4. Yours look fantastic... great work!

[Ke|is 3,332]

Fantastic job with the airport !! I can't wait to see the Downtown

[thecitiescenter 3,025]

Replies:

 

Thanks simlink and kelistmac!

 

 

And now... a quick update...

 

 

Here are two bonus pics of downtown Seattle...





And one bonus pic of Downtown Portland, Oregon:




And finally, back to the Bay Area, I give you... Alcatraz, the world famous historical island prison turned tourist trap...







Next up... Oakland!

[BLANKBLANK 4,414]

I like the work you put into Seattle, I love how the Maxis highways snake around each other in close proximity while that Maxis highway tunnel entrance is truly beastly!

[thecitiescenter 3,025]

Hey everyone,

Its been a few years since I've had the opportunity to update my City Journal.  But I'm glad to be back and publishing content again.  Unfortunately, this time around, I don't have as much time as before (work, life, family... you know, stuff...)...  so I won't be able to write up all the detailed "tours" that I did in the past... but I am hoping to get lots of screenshots out of the various regions that I have been working on "offline" (including the San Francisco Bay Area where we left off in 2014... as well as other North American cities, and even a few Asian and European cities as well).

Anyways, here's an updated shot of Downtown Portland... grab a coffee or microbrew, stay dry and try not to look like a Californian... 

 

[thecitiescenter 3,025]

Weekend Vegas trip, anyone?  What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas... especially your money (and brain cells)!