rob_2616

Boston's city hall is pretty sick and inhumane. http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~gking/photos/2005/cambridge/boston-city-hall.jpg

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/9443/introduction0bt.jpg align=baseline> The Black River begins it

http://img457.imageshack.us/img457/5869/region4a24zb.jpg align=baseline> Region shot. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img457.imageshack.us/img457/247/region4a15hn.jpg align=baseline> Transportation network.

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/9804/southeastcopy2ek.jpg align=baseline> In today's update, we will explore the southeast section of Downtown Warsaw. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img494.imageshack.us/img494/6759/warsawcentralhscopy1aq.jpg align=baseline> The southeast section of downtown Warsaw is a bustling, and diverse neighborhood. Home to both the rich and the poor, blacks, whites, asians, and everything in between, the southeast section houses a vibrant mix of many different cultures and lifestyles. Despite its problems with traffic congestion, and inefficient parking, the southeast section is a prime example of new urbanism at its best. The neighborhood is a mix of both commercial, retail, and residential. Though few people actually live and work in the southeast section, two commuter rail lines provide easy access into downtown. Shown above is the largest school in the entire city, Warsaw Central High School. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img430.imageshack.us/img430/217/update4a6copy1dp.jpg align=baseline> The Wickliffe Elevated Rail line connects downtown Warsaw to Wickliffe (a suburb to the east). A new station on the Elevated Railway has spurred the recent construction of several high density apartment buildings. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img475.imageshack.us/img475/6421/update4a8copy0fe.jpg align=baseline> The Old Warsaw Cemetery is one of the very few cemeterys on Warsaw Island. During the 1930's Warsaw's city council passed an ordinance banning burials on the Island (due to lack of space), and dictated that 17 of the city's 23 cemeterys would have to be dug up and moved to Warsaw's outlying suburbs. Because the Old Warsaw cemetery is such a major tourist attraction it was exempt from the ordinance and still remains untouched today. Also shown above is Mount Columbia College, at 64th & Cascade St. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/4556/update4a7copy1uo.jpg align=baseline> Despite being adjacent to the crime ridden Strip district, the souteast section of downtown Warsaw has a surprisingly low crime rate. Shown above is the downtown division of Warsaw's police department, at 76th & Raspberry Street. Also shown above is I-10. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/1471/as5copy2pn.jpg align=baseline> Watertown Place, a development which we showcased in the previous update, is located in the southeast section of downtown Warsaw. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img494.imageshack.us/img494/4193/roadmap2a0fp.jpg align=baseline> A road map of downtown Warsaw.

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/3806/update4acopy0mb.jpg align=baseline> On our last update we toured downtown Warsaw's commercial buildings, so in this update we'll tour downtown's residential highlights. With 175,000 residents, downtown Warsaw is the most densely populated district in the city. Nevada Drive is the focal point of our downtown residential tour. Lying on the western edge of the district, Nevada Drive is home to more millionaires than any other place in the city. Since the early 1900's Nevada has always been one of the poshest neighborhoods, and although the street has been eclipsed in prestige by the newer, uptown neighborhoods, Nevada Drive is still a very highly sought after address. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/2126/update4bcopy5hh.jpg align=baseline> Continuing north along Nevada Drive we come to Grace Park at the intersection of 80th & Nevada. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img495.imageshack.us/img495/781/update4ccopy4km.jpg align=baseline> Several large high-end residential towers have been recently built near Grace Park. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/2179/as5copy4dr.jpg align=baseline> Moving away from Nevada Drive, on the eastern side of the district, are the towers of Watertown Place. Watertown place, a conglomerate of 5, 22 story buildings, is one of the newest developments in the city. The development, completed in 1999, gave new life to downtown's struggling east side. Watertown Place was such a pivital development for downtown's east side, that Warsaw's city council approved the closure of 71st, 72nd, and 73rd streets between Poplar and French Street, to make room for a super block for the construction of the towers. Warsaw's city council very rarely approves changes in the city's historic road grid. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/8303/as4copy4aq.jpg align=baseline> The two Regency Towers (Regency North & Regency South) were built in 1988. At the time, many real estate investors scoffed at the idea of building such a massive up-scale condominium building in such a questionable neighborhood. Despite its location, the Regency was a huge success. It continues to be one of the most high priced of all the city's condo buildings.

Thanks for the comments everyone. Keep em' comming! Time for some region shots. http://img450.imageshack.us/img450/2710/region4aacopy3vp.jpg align=baseline> As you can see, I've mostly been working on the Uptown neighborhood. One of the biggest new features of Warsaw is the completion of I-62 (shown above, 1), and its bridge spanning the Black River. The Other Interstates are: (2) I-10, and (3) I-59/Lowlands Highway. To the south is (4) US Route 90. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img432.imageshack.us/img432/7339/region4b3sq.jpg align=baseline>

http://img313.imageshack.us/img313/5731/warsaw34mw.jpg align=baseline> Downtown Warsaw is home to more architecturally recognized skyscrapers than any other American city. Second in number only to New York City, Warsaw's cathedrals of commerce form a skyline that can be seen for miles. Shown below is a list of the city's 10 tallest buildings. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/9174/bld10copy5fx.jpg align=baseline> #10 CENTER POINTE PLAZA, 76th & Cascade Street Center Pointe Plaza, though located along Warsaw's Skyscraper lined 76th Street, is one of the few tall buildings built east of the Financial District. Completed in 1993, it houses a diverse group of both small and large scale corporations. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img427.imageshack.us/img427/21/bld9copy4jf.jpg align=baseline> #9 6600 PARADE STREET, 66th & Parade Street. 6600 Parade Street is the tallest building south of the financial district. The Mandrin Hotel occupies 20 of it's 63 stories. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img305.imageshack.us/img305/6003/bld8copy0xy.jpg align=baseline> #8 NEWS CORP TOWER, 76th & Parade Street. Completed in 2003, Warsaw's newest skyscraper, the News Corp Tower, is the world headquarters of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, parent company of 175 different newspapers, as well as familiar names such as 20th Century Fox, Direct TV, TV Guide, and Fox News which broadcasts from inside the 55 story building. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/9198/emptycopy8dr.jpg align=baseline> #7 1 BROADCAST CENTER, 100th & State Street. (located Uptown) ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img361.imageshack.us/img361/7682/bld6copy9ui.jpg align=baseline> #6 8100 EXCHANGE STREET, 80st & Exchange Street 8100 Exchange Street is perhaps the most flamboyant of all Warsaw's skyscrapers. Built in the art deco years of the 1920's, the 68 story building is the crowning jewel of Exchange Street. It's austere granite facade alludes to modesty, but it's interior is fully sheathed in Italian Marble, laced with rare amazon macassar woodwork, and adorned with more gold leafing than all of Donald Trumps buildings - combined. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/9083/bld5copy2gf.jpg align=baseline> #5 FARMER'S BANK & EXCHANGE BUILDING, 80th & Exchange Street. Like the Empire Oil Building, the Farmer's Bank & Exchange Building was completed in the midst of the Great Depression. Unlike the Empire Oil Building however, the Farmer's Bank hadn't even begun to secure office leases until after the 1929 stock market crash. As a result the building sat nearly empty for half a decade, and the Farmer's Bank collapsed just six years after their signature headquarters was constructed. In an era when most modern office buildings have massive open, and unobstructed floor plans, the Farmer's Bank Building has struggled to find it's market. With no more than 15 clear feet of uninterupted office space in any direction, the building is not suitable for most large modern corporations, though it has found a niche market serving small start up companies. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/8625/bld4copy6rl.jpg align=baseline> #4 FIDELITY INSURANCE CENTER, 72nd & State Street. Ranking fourth, Fidelity Insurance Center was completed in 1997, designed by the German Architectural firm, Foster & Partners. With it's army of security guards, the building is by far the most private of all Warsaw's high profile skyscrapers. Fidelity Insurance Center has only one floor open to the public, and no observatory. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/9198/emptycopy8dr.jpg align=baseline> #3 GALLERY TOWER, 105th & Nevada Drive (located uptown) ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img287.imageshack.us/img287/3618/bld2copy3to.jpg align=baseline> #2 BANK OF AMERICA BUILDING, 76th & Federal Street. With its dual antanae reaching 1,205 feet above street level, the Bank of America Building is the tallest structure in the city. However, with its top floor at 1032 feet, it is relegated to the 2nd tallest building in Warsaw. The building was completed in 1990, and is the southeastern headquarters for the nations 3rd largest bank, Bank of America. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img313.imageshack.us/img313/7407/bld1copy8lb.jpg align=middle> #1 EMPIRE OIL BUILDING, 83rd & Exchange Street. At 1048 feet, the Empire Oil Building is the tallest building in Warsaw, and 5th tallest in the United States. Built in 1930, and completed only a few weeks after the stock market crashed, it was briefly the tallest building in the world until it was surpassed by the Empire State Building in New York City. Empire Oil Company, which still owns the tower, has since moved its headquarters to Houston, Texas.

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/9707/dt13al.jpg align=baseline> Thanks for the comments everyone! I think we are going to take a little break from the Strip District and check out Warsaw's downtown next.

http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/9282/update3b1copy2ag.jpg align=baseline> Parkland Blvd., one of the Strip's busiest streets, crosses through the eastern section of the district. Also visable in the photo above, lower left corner, are two of the Olympic Park Plaza towers. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/8102/4acopy4ag.jpg align=baseline> Lippo I & II, built in 2000 on the former Olympic grounds, are the tallest buildings in the district. Though Lippo I (44 stories), and Lippo II (48 stories) both have less than impressive occupancy percentages, the office complex is still a shining example of the Strip's economic revival. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/6966/update3b2copy0nd.jpg align=baseline> Continuing north, Parkland Blvd. passes through some of the districts roughest neighborhoods. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/1977/update3b3copy8in.jpg align=baseline> Parkland Blvd (shown above, lower right) ends at 51st Street, emptying out in Browlin Park. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/9207/update3b4copy0kf.jpg align=baseline> An aerial shot of the Strip provides excellent views of the Millennium Dome, Olympic Park Plaza, Olympic Yacht Club, the International Petroleum Exchange, the Lowlands Highway, and of course on the left, you can see you district's signature Strip of retail businesses.

ChicAgo333 - I guess I've been showing the better parts of the Strip. In my next update I'll throw in a few pics of the slummier sections. Nardo69 - Concerning the at grade intersections, the Lowlands Highway isnt really a Federal Highway, it's supposed to be more of a limited access city road. The at grade intersections were put in where an exit/entrance was needed but there just wasnt enough room to build an on/off ramp. I-10, I-59, I-62, and I-362, will all be federal highways, that strictly use on/off ramps. And.. here are those region views! http://img438.imageshack.us/img438/4182/regionview3a5jk.jpg align=baseline> ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://img416.imageshack.us/img416/3033/regionview31ih.jpg align=baseline>

http://img306.imageshack.us/img306/9431/1ecopy1xw.jpg align=baseline> The Strip District is by no means a prestigious place to live. It's crowded, dirty, and crime ridden. The roar of traffic is inescapable, and the few parks throughout the district have been taken over by drug dealers. However, although the Strip District shares many of the same problems facing Old Warsaw, the Strip has at least begun to see a small revival. Despite the Strip's tarnished image, several renegade developers have taken advantage of the district's cheap real estate prices, and close proximity to downtown, creating a neighborhood that is increasingly bohemian. 3300 Commonwealth Avenue is one of a growing number of large Condominium Buildings that have been built in the Strip during the past decade. ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/1584/strip5acopy1to.jpg align=baseline> The Grudny Canal, built in the late 1800's to drain the soggy delta soil in which Warsaw was built upon, was at one time the worst neighborhood in the city. Until the 1970's environmental regulations were enacted, the canal had been laced with sewage, and rendered unnavigable due to a century thick layer of garbage. The canal is still a diamond in the rough, however some up-scale development has occurred in the immediate neighborhood, such as the Kline Tower on 27th & Federal Street.

meinhosen - Thanks for the compliments. I think the Highway Bridge is the green steel-truss bridge. I'm guessing you probably didnt recognize it because it's so short that the steel trusses didnt show up.

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/3858/8acopy3tw.jpg align=baseline> Olympic Park Plaza, a residential development consisting of 11, 21 story buildings, and 1, 25 story building, was built on the site of the former Olympic Plaza which had been razed in 1998 - two years after the summer games. Sandwiched between Parkland Blvd. and Olympic Drive, Olympic Park Plaza is the largest residential development in the Strip District. One Olympic Park Plaza (the building on the far right), has amazing views of Warsaw's eastern suburbs across the Black River. It is also the tallest building in the development. The Lowlands Highway can also be seen in the photo above. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/8779/9copy0kj.jpg align=baseline> Directly south of Olympic Park Plaza, is the Olympic Yacht Club. The Yacht Club was also built on the former Olympic grounds, and is one of the cities most prestigious marinas. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/8326/102zc.jpg align=baseline> Shown above is the southern pier of the Olympic Yacht Club. Also shown above is the Lowlands Highway as it crosses over the Grundy Canal.

bokrif - The answer to all of those questions is: The Network Addon Mod. Check out Simtrop's mod section, you can find it there.

ChicAgo333 - To make stuff transparent, when you paste your graphic on top of the main image click the transparent button (shown below on MSPaint). Make sure your graphic's background is completely white, or else it won't be completely transparent. Hope that helps. I have no idea how to do this in Photoshop... sorry.

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/4849/strip2acopy7kq.jpg align=baseline> In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Modern Olympic Games, Athens, Greece had been the odds on favorite to host the 1996 Summer Olympics. However, because Athens could not make the needed city infrastructure improvements by the set deadline, Warsaw, Mississippi was selected instead in a surprise vote by the IOC. Beating out Toronto, Manchester, Melbourne, Belgrade, and Athens, Warsaw was indeed an unexpected choice. Though plagued with traffic jams, and overshadowed by the August 3rd Warsaw Federal Building bombing which killed 1,200, the Warsaw Games was the most financially profitable Olympic Games to date. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img374.imageshack.us/img374/3427/1bcopy4uc.jpg align=baseline> The Warsaw Olympic Development Committee stirred controversy in December of 1991 when they voted construct the city's Olympic centerpiece, the Millennium Dome, in the heavily blighted Strip District neighborhood. Although critics argued that the poverty stricken Strip District would leave visitors and tourists with a bad impression of the city, realistically, the Committee had no other logical choice. It had already been predetermined that 90% of the Olympic venues would be held downtown, on the island, and no other district could offer the amount of land that was needed for such a massive project. The WODC pushed ahead, eventually choosing a 400 acre industrial brownfield to house the Stadium and Olympic Plaza. Located on the eastern fringe of the Strip District, the property boasted a quarter-mile of water frontage, and abutted the Lowlands Highway, providing relatively easy access. Construction on the stadium began in 1993, and was completed eight months before the opening cerememonies. The Millenium Dome is now the home of the NFL's Warsaw AeroRaiders. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/9429/1ccopy8dk.jpg align=baseline> Olympic Park Drive is the Stadium's only exit/entrance onto the Lowlands Highway (shown lower right). Though it is currently suitable to handle traffic for the neighborhood, as well as Stadium events, the lone exit/entrance was the main cause of hour long traffic jams that plagued the 96 Olympic Games.

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/3903/into1copy0md.jpg align=baseline> http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/7776/into20bz.jpg align=baseline> The Strip District, sandwiched between Downtown, and Old Warsaw, gets its name from the thin strip of retail stores, and office buildings that line State Street, Federal Street, and Parade Avenue. With a population of 120,000, it is the second largest district in the city, ranking just behind the denser Downtown district. ------------------------------------------------------------------- http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/6482/a2accopy9ta.jpg align=baseline> The Strip District stretches from 22nd Street (on the south), to 58th Street (on the north) - And from Barker Avenue (on the west), to Cherry Street (on the east - not shown on map). ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/1962/strip1acopy4zl.jpg align=baseline> In the early 1900's retail business was making a steady retreat from Old Warsaw. Forced out by high taxes, expensive real estate, and developable land in short supply, Middle class shop owners began building and relocating to the city's booming northern suburbs. This exodus was in part, aided by the completion of the Parade Street Elevated Line in 1911. Now stretching from the very northern tip of the island (Glenwood Hills), to the southern tip (Old Warsaw), the original line was only a quarter-mile long. Though short in distance, it enabled Warsaw's residents to live, work, and shop further away from the city's center. ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/8678/strip6acopy1jw.jpg align=baseline> In the early part of the century, Warsaw's business leaders were divided into two sects: Downtowners, and Uptowners. The Downtowners were the city's elite. A privileged group of Bankers, Investors, and Factory owners, they were few in number but had considerable financial clout. Bakers, Butchers, and Shoe peddlers, the Uptowners on the other hand, were peasants by comparison. In 1919 when the IPE (International Petroleum Exchange) made the announcement that their new Exchange Building would be built not in the Financial District, but in the less classy Strip District, a huge political firestorm erupted. Downtowners spent months lobbying to have the exchange constructed downtown, but although they could offer prestige, they couldnt match the Strip District's offer of cheap, open land. In the end, the Uptowners succeeded in landing the IPE, and Old Warsaw's days as the city's financial center came to a abrupt close. ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://img326.imageshack.us/img326/6475/5acopy6nr.jpg align=baseline> Four streets: Petroleum Street, Parkland Blvd, North Petroleum Street, and Olympic Drive cut through the Strip District on a diaganal. Petroleum Street (shown above) runs from the industrial docks (to the southeast), to Culbertson Park (to the northwest) ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/5592/7acopy5wx.jpg align=baseline> To the west of the International Petroleum Exchange, Petroleum Street dwindles down to a one way street. Petroleum Street ends shortly after passing Culbertson Park (shown above). On a side note: Exchange Street has no connection to the IPE, it's actually named for the Mississippi Cotton Exchange located further north, in downtown.

ChicAgo333 - Welcome back! I attached the Interstate sign below, you know how to make the background transparent, right? http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/4348/isign0ah.jpg align=baseline> I accidentally cut off a little bit of the left side, probably needs some touching up.

Kwakelaar: I put the little U-turn thing in there mostly just because I thought it looked good, but there is aslo a small pond and a neighborhood that the highway had to avoid. On a seperate note, I think we are done with Old Warsaw (At least for now. We will probably have small Old Warsaw updates later on). I think we are going to head north and check out the Strip next. http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/881/stripd4kw.jpg align=baseline> http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/181/region2a3ox.jpg align=baseline> ...just a closing shot of how the regions transit map is coming together.

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/4760/transit67db.jpg align=baseline> Our tour of Old Warsaw ends with its transit system. The junction of US Route 90 & the Lowlands Highway is one of the most confusing intersections in the city, and also, one of the most congested. ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/4553/oldwarsawtransitmap8wd.jpg align=baseline> Listed in order of highest traffic counts, Old Warsaw's busiest roads are: US Route 90, Lowlands Highway, State Street, and 18th Street. US Route 90, the most heavily traveled road in Old Warsaw, skirts along the southern shore of the island. 90 connects Warsaw to its eastern suburbs with the Misery Bay Bridge/Causeway, and connects the western suburbs with the Horizon Bridge. The Lowlands Highway (the southernmost remnants of I-59) travels along the eastern shore of the island. To the south it connects Warsaw to the barrier Islands. State Street (N-S), and 18th Street (E-W) are both heavily traveled local roads. ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/3581/transit2copy7qx.jpg align=baseline> The Lowlands Highway (traveling North/South) is the southernmost extension of I-59. Despite being directly connected to I-59, the Lowlands Highway is not considered part of the US Interstate system because it has several at grade intersections. ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/9558/transit3copy2ww.jpg align=baseline> Moving just south of the previous picture, we come to the intersection/merging of the Lowlands Highway & US Route 90. For a short time the Lowlands Highway and Route 90 merge together, and share the same road. The bridge on the lower right is Route 90 and the Misery Bay Bridge/Causeway. ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/6025/transit4copy5br.jpg align=baseline> After US Route 90 & the Lowlands Highway split (the Lowlands Highway turns south, eventually connecting the barrier islands, while 90 continues west), Route 90 picks up the southern terminus of State Street. ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/3979/transitmapoldwarsaw35uc.jpg align=baseline> I will post a more detailed (and larger) road map later, but for now this one gives you the first glimpse of Warsaw's well planned grid. Like my previous cj, Warsaw's inner city road layout will be simple: Named streets travel north and south, numbered streets will travel east and west. 1st Street, the city's southernmost street can be found, obviously, at the southernmost tip of the island. I'm sure this is all pretty confusing, any questions so far?

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/829/untitled2copy9cr.jpg align=baseline> Every American city has its suburbs, and Warsaw is no exception. With time, as we progress out of the inner city, the dense, urban jungle will slowly give way to a lush, well-manicured, suburban oasis. Above is a sneak peak of the retail side of Warsaw's suburbs. ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://img271.imageshack.us/img271/3807/3copy6vz.jpg align=baseline> Shown above is your average inner city neighborhood, built anywhere between the late 1800's to the 1930's. ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://img271.imageshack.us/img271/4323/4copy4wt.jpg align=baseline> As we progress through time we'll eventually move into mid-twentieth century housing. The most noticeable difference is of course, the larger lot, and the addition of garages. The houses though, are still fairly close to the street. You may see a few of these lots in the upcoming weeks. ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://img331.imageshack.us/img331/6910/2copy0ag.jpg align=baseline> And far out into the Warsaw suburb's is the late twentieth century housing. It may take a few months before we start seeing these neighborhoods. ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/6493/8copy7so.jpg align=baseline> However, as we've seen earlier, residential neighborhoods won't be the only thing changing - the commercial districts will be getting a face lift as well. Though office parks such as the ones shown above are typically found in the suburbs, you may see one or two of these lots clinging along side a highway in urban Warsaw.

http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/9811/screen3acopy6ei.jpg align=baseline> Old Warsaw, it seems, has become the city's warehouse of the poor. Thousands of public housing units have been built south of 22nd Street, since the early 1950's. Mandrin Arms (center) is just one of the many subsidized, vertical neighborhoods, that plague the island's southerntier. In addition to Public Housing, Rent Control has also conspired against Old Warsaw. 80% of the island's rent controlled buildings lie below 22nd Street. Most developers avoid Old Warsaw for fear that Warsaw's Rent Control Board (the RCB) will commandeer any new development, and real estate investors see no reason to invest money into buildings that will likely bring no profit. ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/9711/screen3ecopy0qh.jpg align=baseline> The Warsaw Train Depot was at one time the central hub in the city's rail and subway traffic system. Although still a major subway station, its job of handling commuter trains coming from outside the city has now been outsourced to the larger Union Station (built in 1943) on 48th Street. Built in 1909, the Warsaw Train Depot has been badly beaten, but is still standing. During World War 2, most of the building's decorative ironwork was scrapped as a patriotic gesture, and the two massive domes were tarred over in compliance with the government's black out regulations. The depot had also been gutted by fire in the 1974 race riots, and consequently closed for over a decade, from 1974 to 1986. With the help of the Warsaw Society of History and Architecture, the city began restoring the historic depot in the early 90's. On our next update we will explore Old Warsaw's transit system.

http://img334.imageshack.us/img334/6909/screen3dcopy3os.jpg align=baseline> When visiting Warsaw, most tourists stay in one of the many swanky, uptown hotels. For Breakfast they may have a croissant at Union Station Plaza, or one of those famous Meatball Omlettes at Rich's downtown dinor. During the day they may go shopping at the ritzy Galleria Mall, take a tour of the city's historic Spring Garden neighborhood, or perhaps sun themselves on the westside beaches. Most smart tourists however, never make it south of 22nd Street, into Old Warsaw. Infact, the majority of tourists not only avoid the Warsaw Flats, most don't even know it exists. Thats a good thing. Old Warsaw, also known as the Warsaw Flats, or the Warsaw Ghetto, is by far the city's roughest neighborhood. Crime-ridden, disease-infested, and poverty-struck, it is the seedy underbelly of Warsaw. It is a section of the city where 5 year olds sell crack on the street, prostitutes and pimps have loud, violent, and often deadly fights over territory, and gang killings are a nightly occurance. We of course, will be taking our tour during the daylight, with a police escort. ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/4109/screen3fcopy6yp.jpg align=baseline> At the islands marshy, southernmost tip, the foot of Spruce Street, lies the most dangerous neighborhood in all of the city - Harding Homes. Built in 1954, the Public Housing Development consists of 16 towers, and nearly 50,000 residents. ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://img326.imageshack.us/img326/4372/screen3gcopy9ve.jpg align=baseline> Moving southeast, at the foot of Exchange Street, is the second phase of Harding Homes, built in 1956. ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://img326.imageshack.us/img326/4692/screen3ccopy0me.jpg align=baseline> Warsaw is a horribly dense city, especially on the island's southertier. Because of this few large retail chains are able to find enough land to construct their stores. Warsaw's city council is also fiercely protective of the city's road grid, often refusing to close streets in order to accomadate the large footprint of most suburban retailers. The Sears on 10th & State Street is one of the few exceptions, infact, the only exception in Old Warsaw. As I mentioned earlier, in the early twentieth century Warsaw was the headquarters of the Sears Motor Buggy division. The company bought the lot on 10th & State, and constructed a massive factory on the property well before any land was developed in that area. Although the factory closed only a few years after its doors first opened, Sears kept the land, eventually building the Sears retail store in 1962. ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/3343/screen3bcopy4ac.jpg align=baseline> With the exception of the hills to the north, most of Warsaw island is flat, at most only a few feet above sea level. At it's southernmost tip, the land is extremely swampy, and unbuildable. Residents in this neighborhood often have serious flooding and water damage problems. Jefferson High School is shown above. We will continue with Old Warsaw tomorrow!

http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/156/regionmap25ks.jpg align=baseline> I have a little free time, so I'll give a real quick progress report before the next update. As you can see I've mostly been working on terraforming. I've completed about 80% of the water outline. The Black River (right) is nearly completed - two more city tiles still need done. Warsaw Creek & the unnamed inlet (left) are entirely done. I still need to spend some time working on adding a few random lakes, creating the Gulf of Mexico, and some Barrier Islands. I should also point out that the region will not be as flat as it currently looks. I'll be adding topography as I build each city. I've also done a little more work on Old Warsaw, including the Misery Bay Causeway - which I will hightlight more in the next update.