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The city of Crestview is currently located 12 km's east of Calgary alberta, Canada. The city has a rich and colorful past. Everything from the incorporation to the great depression, and from fires of 1950 to the urban decay. Everything that could possibly happen to a city has happened in Crestview (UFO's not yet!).
Short history of CrestView:
Comming soon!
This thread will be daily updated with fresh new picture url's and comentary's. Also, check here for future CV announcements!
I'll start up the first update.
Short history of CrestView:
Comming soon!
This thread will be daily updated with fresh new picture url's and comentary's. Also, check here for future CV announcements!
I'll start up the first update.
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update 1 - Monday, March 21, 2005
Mon, March 21, 2005 - 1:34 AMThe first City update!
Today, i'm starting the long over due city center revitalization project. This will only take a day, but it was meant to be done several weeks ago.
The city core of crestview has suffered over the years due to the exodus to the suburbs and the big box store invasion (4 wal-marts, 2 Home depot, 3 Future shop). Another factor in the core decline is urban decay. Long ago when the trains used to come into twon, the city was thriving. As more and more ppl moved it seemed like it was all good. then the great depression came, ontop of that, the city's main industry's (horse rendering, and locamotive plant) shut down. After that, the city was never the same, the city core took a hit when almost half of the merchants left to nearby Gomery Heights.
From 1937 to present the city core and sorrounding homes have fallen into decay and neglect. The great fires of 1976 blakened the Donald residential area - a mansion rich section of crestview.
So taday (2002 Crestview Time) i decided to start the rebuild of the core. To give you a sense of what the city center looks like before construction go here: www.mypicgallery.com/mpg/Original.asp
This next shot is when i dozed the core and prepared for a fresh new start. Of course in real life you wouldnt do that. Here's the URL:
www.mypicgallery.com/mpg/Original.asp
Right now i'm just planning out where all the new buildings go, and what should stay. I'll keep you updated as i go along.
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Re: CrestView Daily Update thread
Fri, March 25, 2005 - 12:04 AMTuesday March 22, 2005
sorry everyone, i have been rather slow in geting the updates along. anyways here is the uptate for today:
The Crestview City core redevelopment project is over. Atleast phase 1 is complete. There are at least 5 more phaes that will take place over the next week. This will include creating "smart" growth redevelopment in the old town and more dense housing. I will also be making a few 3D modles of the new core. I posted own below an url to the new down town core, you can also see my gallery to view the before/after shots:
starrdarcy.mypicgallery.com/cres...4.jpg
Wednesday March 23, 2005
This is my catch up reply.
Kind of slow today, however i'm working on the 3rd sprawl update on the city of Crestview. I usually do this twice a month depending on the amount of growth that takes place in the actual city. I'll keep you posted on this.
Thursday March 24 2005
Finally caught up! Again today i'm working on the sprawl map for the 3rd time. It's almost ready. You can go follow the url to go to the new gallery:
CV17.MyPicGallery.com
Other than taht, i have to say i'm dissapointed in several forum communities for not shareing any input on my maps. However, i don't really are, since ppl aren't ready for this stype of mapping yet. I suspect that more ppl will try map projects when the find that simcity has it's limitations in terms of planning and imagination.
This sort of reminds me of my EnVille days back at cyburbia, before i was banned... -
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Unsu...
Re: CrestView Daily Update thread
Fri, March 25, 2005 - 9:24 AMHi,
I'm loving your ideas for a revitalization. So, I'm going to give you a challenge. Simply because urban planning isn't anything less than that.
Some people say the key to core revitalization is transportation and housing. So, does your plan take into considering affording downtown housing? Perhaps live/work units? Does the commuter rail stop where people live? Hopefully it also goes to where they work. Finally, freeway access. Is it easy for out-of-towners to get to the city core to spend money?
What are some alternative to Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Future Shop, and the Real Canadian Superstore in a downtown location?
Oh, and the Greens are wanting more natural spaces and parks.
Finally, the conservationists want to preserve the local history as well as honor it's forefathers.
Looking forward to your ideas,
Scott -
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Unsu...
Re: CrestView Daily Update thread
Fri, March 25, 2005 - 9:26 AMeer... I didn't PROOFREAD! ugh
The second paragraph should read:
"Some people say the key to core revitalization is transportation and housing. So, does your plan take into consideration affordable downtown housing?"
Thx,
Scott
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Re: CrestView Daily Update thread
Thu, April 7, 2005 - 11:43 PMSory, gain for neglecting my update thread however i have a good friend over and i have been busy. Anyways, i have the completed the crestview revitalization plan phase 1. The other 4 will take place soon.
As yo your challenge...
"does your plan take into considering affording downtown housing?"
Actually when i was planning this out i did take this into mind. There will be some "smart" development in around the core to provide dense residential to those who want to live in the cool downtown core. I need help on how to make it affordable.
"Perhaps live/work units?"
If your refering to mixed use zoning both res/com res/ind, yes i have some of the parts of the new core being built like that. I like that idea. Some more will be poping up in the next phase.
"Does the commuter rail stop where people live? Hopefully it also goes to where they work."
Um, this is where i goofed up, i dont even have a transit system in place. Thanks for mentioning this to me, i will consider this and set it into motion.
"Finally, freeway access. Is it easy for out-of-towners to get to the city core to spend money?"
Because Crestview now has two city by-passes for commuters ppl who dont want travel intown, and the many massive big box stores that dot the landscape. The downtown core has been greatly effected. However, witht he new downtwon core and a local law to strictly limit the big box companies from voing in, i believe the city will turn around. I also plan to create a highway that go through the downtown core for easy comuting.
"What are some alternative to Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Future Shop, and the Real Canadian Superstore in a downtown location?"
I got rid of the old walmart in the core, as well as other big chain stores. I believe in downtwon growth.
"Oh, and the Greens are wanting more natural spaces and parks."
That is another point i have fallen on, i have actually reduced the amount of greenspace in the core. I will soon fix this in the phase 2.
"Finally, the conservationists want to preserve the local history as well as honor it's forefathers."
I have already started on this. CrestView was once a bussling railroad town. I will pay tribute to the past by bringing back the past in several ways: restoring old buildings, and rebuilding old ones.
Thanks for the challenge, i'm glad you enjoyed it. The completed pics are in my gallery. -
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Unsu...
Re: CrestView Daily Update thread
Fri, April 8, 2005 - 9:07 AMHi,
Wow, I liked your responses really well. Maybe you should seek a career in city planning?
I want a home on that island, unless it's a flood plain. :)
One way I made lots of open space was to create a wide margin of natural space on either side of the rivers. You could even make smaller lots for the nearby homes to make up for the land preserved for nature.
I really liked the way you left the rivers natural. That is, not straightening and cementing them in like they do far to often.
Keep us updated with your progress!
I found a scanner, so I'm going to put my work online soon!
Scott -
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Re: CrestView Daily Update thread
Fri, April 8, 2005 - 2:58 PMI left the rivers natural because i thought the ppl would like them. I live in Vernon bc, and the creek that runs through it has been covered over, diverted, and cemeted in. You wonder how the actually "drainage" goes. So i left he river alone. The rivers that run through crestview are like mini valleys. In the steep clifs and hillside of the valley, lush trees and swamps thrive. Preserving these makes a sort of refuge and peacfull place for ppl living in the core.
I have another city called devonport that is much more larger, however, i still tired to preserve some of the river ways. -
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Re: CrestView Daily Update thread
Wed, April 13, 2005 - 2:53 PMApril 13, 2005
I'm afraid i have some bad news in regards to my CrestView project. The project will eventually be fazed out and be given to someone who is willing to continue it and/or keep it. Since i haven't made a copy of my city yet, it will be the original.
If anyone here is interested in taking my maps and using them, please e-mail me or send me a PM.
I'm looking foward to seeing someone take my maps for further use or not.
I will provide my address is needed as well.
-Khalsa Starr -
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Unsu...
Re: CrestView Daily Update thread
Thu, April 14, 2005 - 9:42 AMI know it's none of my business, but why are you phasing it out?
Scott -
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Re: CrestView Daily Update thread
Thu, April 14, 2005 - 1:12 PMI'm phasing crestview out because i'm introducing a whole new style and way of drawing my maps. It's the next generation of my maps and the style between the old style (crestView and alike) and the new style are two radical to put together. It would not look well if both styles where in the same city.
The major difference between the two styles is the roads and building details. Residential and minor roads are no longer thick grey lines, they are now similer to the secondary roads in that they are hollow not completly filled. Another difference is the detail that goes into buildings. The houses are no longer round and have larger gaps between each other. Other commercial and industrial buildings are more accuratly scalled and more realistic. I'm also experimenting with "smart" growth techniques and urban residential design - something that has not been done in any of my cities, as well as right and left turn lanes in my roads. Other small additions include residential/commercial back alleys, garages for cars, gas stations and restaraunts, urban decay/growth cycle. All these new additions and changes would not look well mixed in witht he old style.
Keep a close eye on the picture gallery for the new style and experiements. I will be asking members here for there suggestions and comments.
-Khalsa Starr -
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This is the maximum depth. Additional responses will not be threaded.Unsu...
Re: CrestView Daily Update thread
Fri, April 15, 2005 - 9:25 AMAs a surveyor, I always look at cities and suburbs to see how the land was divided and parceled. When I create new developments, whether in Texas or California, local zoning laws require that I set aside reserve lots for commercial development, as well as lots dedicated for schools, parks, and storm water detention. When I look back at cities that I created when I was your age, they seem jumbled, incoherent, and inefficient because I didn't know anything at the time about the orderly progression of growth through zoning and smart planning.
Now things are more complicated. For example, say I have a 40 acre tract of vacant land in the city of Palm Desert, California that my client wants developed into a single family residential tract. After performing a boundary survey and locating the boundaries and elevation contours of the land, I consult the general plan for the city of Palm Desert to see what the city wants to see there. I may find out that the city wants only apartment complexes, or maybe that 40 acres is earmarked for a new high school. If it is zoned "single family residential", then I design a street and lot layout based on the topography of the land and draw up a subdivision plat (in California they're called final tract maps) in AutoCAD with bearings and distances for lot lines and reserves. Three or four times, I have gotten to name the streets. This map is submitted to the city planning department, who eventually approves the map, it is recorded in the county court house to make it official, and then construction finally starts.
So here's my question: are you going to develop land in accordance with a general plan in large parcels as is most commonly done through the filing of plats? I like the way that you plan your cities, but keep in mind that there has to be a legal, technical framework behind the growth. I am familiar with the division and parceling of land in Calgary, and I imagine that in your area of B.C. it is not that much different. -
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Re: CrestView Daily Update thread
Thu, June 30, 2005 - 4:49 PMguess the post got deleted...
anyways, crestview will up and going again. Ever since two months ago, i have been in alot of stuff (moving, schooling, grad, changing addresses), so CrestView will be updated soon - the city has grown quite a bit!
Back to your question, i actually never thought about stuff like that. The parcelizing is very new to me, i have only been experimenting with this new type of develpment for weeks now.
the way i now develope on my maps now is take a chunk of land in the form of a parcel and then build on it.
I dont know much about city rules and laws yet, due to the fact that i dont know how to use it in my city building.
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