Welcome back to Loch Namara!

Our final property for consideration is the former Elizabeth Regina School. Built in the early 1900s, it was in use for several decades, until the closure of Touchstone Manufacturing sent many families out of Loch Namara in search of work. Finally, the student population just wasn't large enough to justify the cost of running a local school, and it closed in the early 1960s.

Since then, the school has remained largely uninhabited, unlike many of the other abandoned properties in our fine town. With the revitalization efforts well underway, we hope that you will grant us a final rebuild on this grand old building.

(I'm doing the Round 2 Reno just because I can. )

Well, thanks to a last-minute donation from an external source, Touchstone Manufacturing is well underway in its renovations. Teams of volunteers have been scrubbing away relentlessly at the stains and graffiti, but it's slow going...

I am NEVER ever ever doing this to myself again. A gazillion floor overlays, all done with snapobjectstogrid false...

We honestly don't really have one anymore. There are only a few of us left, things got so mangled earlier, and we are so close to the end now, I was just planning on rolling with whatever y'all needed (within reason).

I just wanted to chime in and say I really love the idea for this contest; I wish I'd been able to be a bit more active in it. Just RL is kicking my butt right now, and deadlines are a no. I'm planning on stealing all the great ideas from the contest and building all of the (old, and new) buildings into my hoods, anyway.

Okay, I shall sit tight and keeping reno'ing my factory! (which I FINALLY got all the floor overlays out of...)

Fair warning, my late December and January are starting to get packed with coursework, so hopefully we can be done by Christmas?

Just want to mention that the entry for PanAm's round 3 reno is linked on the chart to their Nov 15th post asking for city approval, not their labeled entry from Nov 20th. Just so other judges are aware that could have based scoring on the earlier rough draft post.

Thank you, Charmful. I hadn't even noticed the link to my entry was wrong xD

Since everyone has already had their skip, I'm going to award Building Permits to everyone. You get a car, you get a car, you get a car!!!

Time to dust off your Victorians and ....

Congratulations! The neighborhood association has convinced the Conservation Committee to turn their forgotten sister into the newest library branch! After extensive repair work, the library now boasts a circulation desk, stacks, reading rooms, children's book room, public computers, study rooms, conference room, public restrooms, staff offices, break room, staff bathroom, a service entrance for unloading the book trucks from the main branch, and parking for 6+ in the back. The local residents couldn't be more pleased!

Happy Reno'ing!

Please let me know if you want to knock out walls, and I'll get a wall diagram drawn up for you.

Judges, I need scores from at least 2 more of you for the warehouse reno.

Also, the front table is updated with new score standings!

Well, good morning (it is past midnight in South Africa) to all of you Back and (hopefully) refreshed, I am going to investigate the state of the fermented juice bar first, so place your orders now
Yay for the library! Will start on the library tomorrow (or later today) - better go and find a selection of book shelves first!

Me! I'm looking at knocking out some walls on my main floor (specifically in the servants/kitchen/pantry/entry area...) I won't be messing with second or third level's walls.

EDIT TO ADD: Also, there is no Simmishly-possible way for me to get 6+ parking in the back without destroying the house footprint. I could add some in the front as well to make up the 6+ required spots...

Hi Phae, My round 4 entry is here - http://modthesims.info/showthread.p...625#post5120625

edit: I only made parking for 2 or 3 in the back of my Victorian because you said 2 +. I could fit 6 small cars in back but they'd have a heck of a time getting out. (Mebbe I could use basement parking?)

Forever, here is your required walls to keep (in addition to exterior of course). The dotted lines on the right indicate that you need some sort of walls in that area, but you can swap your existing broken wall for a continuous one. Your staircase could become quite an interesting feature, I'd remove those inner walls and use those squares as some sort of display area. (I know you need them for your CFE tricks, so why not make them pretend to serve a purpose as well?

As for parking, try to get creative. I had hoped it would be a bit of a given that converting from a residential to a commercial space would require more parking, as both of the previous two rounds required extra spaces, and I mentioned it again somewhere. It's always important to give enough exterior space on a lot. Most actual city codes specify the percentage of square feet that the building itself can occupy and require a certain percent to be left as yard. The also often specify how close they can be to the road and to the property line. These are called setbacks. This came about partly because of the risk of fire jumping from buildings packed too closely together.

Oh, good - I tried to fit in 8 parking spaces and it was a bit difficult

I think you forgot to attach the picture?

I have a 2x5 space or two available in the back after I crammed in four conventional spaces: can I call that "motorcycle parking" for an additional space?

I just get them in - they will have to learn to reverse, these Sim drivers!

Drat, sorry about that. Looks like it didn't attach because it was too big, and I didn't double check.

Maybe the judges will give you creativity points for a bike rack?

OK - I finally have my game fired up again... *whew!*

So... should I fix the school or start in on the Victorian reno first? Any ideas?

@Petro - sorry about the juice bar - last week was kinda stressful I think I owe you a bottle or two of potato juice

My issue is the whole "blocking somebody in anywhere but on a residential driveway is a highly douchebag move and is usually illegal". I try to leave a car-width of space between two rows of spaces to simulate a passageway.

Do I pass inspection?
The grungification crew is standing by...

Cat, yup! And I love your roof now too!

Welcome back to Loch Namara!

The old Namara estate has been an easy flip thanks to the careful attention of the neighbourhood's preservation committee. The Loch Namara Public Library has now been up and running for a few months now, and we couldn't be prouder of it!

Although the snow hasn't arrived yet in Loch Namara, we are anxiously awaiting its arrival to make our wintery wonderland complete! The library has decked out their main floor with lights, plants and a Giving Tree. We discovered some usable space around the staircase: enjoy a cozy nook with your book? Crawl on in! The kids' room has a pile of cuddly reading buddies who love nothing more than a snuggle and a good book! Have a class project? The group working areas in our stacks are just the ticket! Need somewhere quiet to get some serious work done? Try on our study room for size! Enjoy some sun with your story? In the spring and summer, come out and enjoy our outdoor reading space, or settle down in the grass outside!

Our proudest addition is our participation in the Writer-in-Residence program. A local author receives support, a quiet place to call their office for a year and some free publicity in return for running some workshops at the library through the year!

....Drum Roll.... The JP Company is proudly presenting the Queen's Library today. We have succeeded in changing a really scruffy Painted Lady into a library fit for a queen, and this library is dedicated to all the bibliophiles in the city.

We have decided not to knock down any walls, but we did replace some of the doors with arches. We painted the lady in brand new colors, and we used some thick carpeting and panel walls inside, because a library has to be quiet. We found that the windows were in good condition, so we replaced the shutters with wooden ones. And we built a lovely parking at the back, where your car can be in the shade, because you may want to spend a very long time inside!

Welcome! When you enter the library, you will find the desk for taking out books, where rare books are on display on shelves; the board room (with coffee, a flat screen and comfortable chairs) and our receptionist, where you can apply for your membership card. Also, on this floor, the kitchen and staff break room, as well as the delivery room connected to the back entrance. Our board room is available for book clubs, just let us know which day of the month you want to meet. The board room is also available for board meetings, and there is free coffee.

On the second floor are the books you can take home, as well as the manager's office and the computer center. We are proud to have a fiction and non-fiction section. If you want a book that we do not have on our shelves, we will get it for you! We have a contract with the Official City Library to borrow books from them for our members. These include books for book clubs!

On the third floor is the children's books, and we also present reading hours to pre-schoolers three times a week. We have two wonderful retired persons who used to be in the entertainment career and they will entertain your toddler (and you are welcome too). We will also take them to our pretty garden to search and find the seven dwarfs. Also, on the third floor, we have a small nursery and have made sure the bathroom provides for toddlers. Our two filing rooms are on the third floor, as well as our writing office that can be used by local writers (just book the office). There is coffee.

Outside, we have started a recycling project to further education.

We hope to see you around often at our library! And we will read books in a chair, and we will read books everywhere...

Well, I've certainly been a slacker. You guys have done a great job on the libraries! I better roll up my sleeves and get busy! It seemed I waited the longest time for the next build then I got busy and haven't loaded my game. I tried to load it last night but it was being stupid again. I have to restore it every time I want to load the game. It does not like one of the grunge CC I added. I have not taken the time to sort the CC out. Hopefully this weekend, I'll have time to build.

I finally finished Touchstone Fun Centre!!

Just when I thought I'd finished, what do I find but a #$(*%(*%^$ing floor overlay on one of the loading docks!... There was some IRL cursing.

Enjoy some pictures of my fun centre, now including a grownup's patio!

That looks really snazzy! Love the dining area and the balconies overlooking the skating.