Tips on adding high-density and office zones

[pemmons1]

I've finally hit 7500 population in an initial city tile with which I'm happy enough to keep playing. It still has quite a bit of vacant space thanks to leaving a criss-cross in both directions to be served by present or future 4-lane roads, and it seems that these would be good areas for high-density. I would like to keep most of the low-density zones already present. Traffic flow is still about 93%. I immediately built a simple metro line supported by several bus lines through the residential areas, each stopping near a metro station.

What are some good practices for placing high density zones? Is it fine to zone a few high-density residential and commercial buildings among low-density zones of the same type? What about office buildings in close proximity to residential or even among them? And since office zones count as industrial but tend to employ better-educated workers, how can we tell if the balance between the two is good nor not?

[caseyas435943]

High density commercial make a ton of noise. I you pit it need to house they be screaming about it and get sick.

You can mix anything but never mix industry with housing.

Just remember commercial high density makes a ton of noise.

High density will create a lot more traffic because there in more crammed into a small area.

[ThisHero]

if youre going for a mixed zoning layout then you might need to use your office space as a buffer between your HDC and residential, otherwise you will likely be hit with noise complaints.

[pemmons1]

Thanks! Yes, I do what I can to keep residential zones quiet. At first, I also put the large commercial zone between industrial and residential, but the problem is that one doesn't know how large the commercial area nees to be, and I never leave enough space. A better approach is more-or-less triangular with space for service buildings in the center. That way, all three types can expand outwards.

I've tried to zone in 4x4 cells without allowing any building to span boundaries so that its neighbors can't fully expand. Nevertheless, a 4x4 high-density zone on a corner will often be taken up by two or three smaller buildings rather than one full-sized one. Is there any reason to avoid this (by using only low-density zones on corners)? Perhaps the entire issue is not worth worrying about. It does make zoning more time-consuming.

[MessengerOfRage]

if you want to zone in 4x4 blocks avoid one square on the corner so your 4x4 zone is only facing one of the 2 roads.

put a pedestrian path in there if you want the look of an extended sidewalk, or some trees and bushes for decoration.

[pemmons1]

Originally posted by Coookyman:

if you want to zone in 4x4 blocks avoid one square on the corner so your 4x4 zone is only facing one of the 2 roads.

put a pedestrian path in there if you want the look of an extended sidewalk, or some trees and bushes for decoration.

I can usually do this by simply not letting the lot be on a corner until it is occupied. Zone the space against the one street, then add the cross street when the building goes up.

As for offices, since discovering the value of the Industry 4.0 policy, it now seems best not to build any offices until all industries have transitioned to it and you have all the industry you want. Then start building offices to use remaining educated citizens.

[bear]

Originally posted by Coookyman:

if you want to zone in 4x4 blocks avoid one square on the corner so your 4x4 zone is only facing one of the 2 roads.

put a pedestrian path in there if you want the look of an extended sidewalk, or some trees and bushes for decoration.

Why? :)

[WhiteKnight77]

Originally posted by bear:

Originally posted by Coookyman:

if you want to zone in 4x4 blocks avoid one square on the corner so your 4x4 zone is only facing one of the 2 roads.

put a pedestrian path in there if you want the look of an extended sidewalk, or some trees and bushes for decoration.

Why? :)

To give your city a specific look instead of buildings facing random ways. If you make a 10x10 zone, move in one row of blocks to force the building to face a certain street. Do the same on the opposite side. Use the empty space for a pedestrian path or a fence or hedge or trees even.