Spectacle ISLAND: GROWING PAINS

Part 3 of the Spectacle Island series. Includes excerpts from past articles by the Spectacle Islander.

LAST — Randy: a dark past, haunted present, and unpredictable future

NEXT — Spectacle Island: united

Spectacle Island is a large, populated island in the Commonwealth. The island is home to two large settlements: Spectacle and Randy—a juxtaposition of a beautiful, successful, and thriving city with a corrupt, divided, and rotting region. The relentless success of one settlement has placed a burden on the other. You see, Spectacle has experienced a construction, economic, and population boom unprecedented in the post-war world, and all in a brief time. Lately, the City has focused on expanding its boundaries by creating new land through land reclamation methods. Three brand new neighborhoods later, the city limits of Spectacle are virtually built-out, putting pressure on Randy to pick up the pace.

A brief history

Growing pains and gains

As Spectacle experienced a surge in construction and population unprecedented in the post-war world, leaders of the thriving city focused on how to expand. Since the city limits of Spectacle were practically built-out, and with the remaining portions of the island falling outside of its jurisdiction, leaders were forced to get creative with its expansion efforts. Despite this, the city has grown to include three new neighborhoods–The Barge, Midtown, and Uptown–as well as expansions of the Lowland District and Research Institute. In order to accomplish this, land reclamation methods were performed on the eastern, northern, and western shores of the island, creating new land to host new roads, parks, and more than seventy new buildings, more than doubling the size of the city.

The Barge and Uptown were planned and constructed simultaneously. The Barge would be a predominantly residential area with a research institute, while Uptown would be a major business and commercial hub with a museum district and residential neighborhood. Both neighborhoods required extensive land reclamation, with virtually none of the land being original to the island. Meanwhile, plans for expansion in the Lowland District and Research Institute were brewing. Those expansions were brought to fruition through the same land reclamation methods. Finally, the areas of East Avenue and North Avenue were combined to create Midtown, and plans for a new commercial area, park, resort, and below-ground shopping mall were drawn up and constructed.

Following relentless growth and success, and with the city limits practically built-out, city leaders are now turning to other opportunities for expansion. While the city occupies two-thirds of the island, the remaining third is territory of the settlement of Randy and governed by the Spectacle Island Authority. The region has experienced stagnation since its rapid decline. Not much has changed: the Town of Randy hosts a small, though considerably fewer, number of businesses and residents; the South Harbor Industrial Site continues to be occupied by a mysterious, cult-like group; and Sunrise remains abandoned, damaged, and polluted. With the city limits of Spectacle running out of room for new development, the pressure is on Randy to pick up the pace. The problem is half of the region is dedicated to nature preservations, and the other half is politically unstable. 

City leaders are considering a political restructuring to annex and incorporate the Settlement of Randy and could even be in the early stages of drafting plans for improvement and revitalization. They are also considering another option: expanding off the island by establishing new satellite communities nearby at the Castle or Warwick homestead.

WHAT’S NEW

The Barge

Named for a barge that ran aground on the east shore of the island, the Barge is known for its breathtaking sunrises, organic ranch-style architecture, green spaces with unique vegetation, and research institute, the Barge Institute of Technology. Before the neighborhood was constructed, the barge that ran aground hundreds of years prior was taken apart and recycled. Several buildings in the neighborhood were constructed using reclaimed materials. The neighborhood features bountiful green space, including two parks: Palm Park, one of only two places on the island where one can find palm trees (the other is along Ocean Street); and Pine Park, home to one of only two Lars Ronald sculptures made from reclaimed materials (the other is at the Standing Building and can be viewed in the Gravel Garden).

Points of interest: The Barge Institute of Technology, Standing Building

The Barge Institute of Technology is a public-private research facility aimed at technological advancement and education. The campus, and small adjacent commercial area, features striking architecture, bright neon lights, and ample greenspace. Barge Street features an eclectic mix of ranch-style houses. Ocean Street is the only street on the island lined with palm trees.

Midtown

Between Downtown and Uptown to the east lies Midtown, a combination of two existing character areas, East Avenue and North Avenue, and the creation of two new character areas, East North Avenue and the Vault. The neighborhood is largely built along two major corridors, East Avenue and North Avenue, which connect Downtown and Uptown to the east side of the city.

Points of interest: North Avenue Park, Vault-Tec Center

East Avenue is a charming community filled with renowned residential architecture and some of the best sunrise views in the Commonwealth. North Avenue cuts through North Avenue Park, a fairytale-like green space with canopy trees lit by lanterns on one side, and two renowned apartment buildings on the other, creating a setting unlike any other on the island. At the terminus of East North Avenue lies a commercial pocket with a hotel, bars, restaurants, shopping, and the Vault-Tec Museum, the latter of which features an entrance to the Vault, a below-ground shopping center with access to Uptown.

Uptown

Though it partially lies downhill from Downtown, Uptown is the northernmost neighborhood on the island, hence its name. Consisting of four character areas (Front Row, the Hull, North Main Street, and Park Court), the neighborhood is a key business and cultural hub that serves as the gateway to the island; the City of Spectacle Customs and Security Center sits at the northern terminus of Main Street, making the neighborhood the first that visitors pass through.

Points of interest: Quantum Passage, Spectacle Island Theater of Performing Arts

North Main Street is a major commercial and financial hub home to some of the tallest buildings on the island–some rise to six stories. Typically, buildings cannot exceed four and a half stories from street level, but since half of the neighborhood rests on a hill, the buildings are able to meet the height regulations along Main Street with taller facades facing the Hull or downhill. The Hull hosts two museums: the Spectacle Island Museum of Art and History and the Pre-War Museum; the Spectacle Island Theater of Performing Arts; and the Yard, a public green space in the center of the buildings. Park Court is a residential street tucked between the park and skyline with a garden overlooking Front Row, a minor commercial area home to Front Row Office Park, Front Row Green, and an entrance to the Vault, a below-ground shopping center with access to Midtown.

A travel guide

Where to…

EAT—Have breakfast at North Avenue Café and Grocery in Midtown, featuring Butcher’s Hook, the island’s first butcher, downstairs; for lunch, have an organic salad fresh out of an indoor garden in a beautiful Uptown cafe at Garden Fresh; and for dinner, head back to Midtown for an upscale dining experience at the Islander with a downstairs bar, the Trapper.

DRINK—Have a drink at the Nuke, a Nuka-Cola-themed bar in Uptown in the basement of the Nuka-Cola Museum; while you’re there, check out either Quantum Passage or the Silver Shroud next door; visit the Overseer, a bar on the top floor of the Vault-Tec Museum in Midtown; or for non-themed bars, try Palm, a bar and lounge in the Barge Center with breathtaking views of Palm Park.

PLAY—Visit the Hull in Uptown, home to the Pre-War Museum, Spectacle Island Museum of Art and History, and Spectacle Island Theater of Performing Arts; the Nuka-Cola Museum in Uptown; or the Vault-Tec Museum in Midtown, the latter of which features an entrance to the Vault, a massive below-ground shopping mall.

STAY—All three new neighborhoods offer plenty of options for overnight stays: the Barge Hotel features art deco style as well as the Roof Yard, a rooftop bar with incredible views of the Barge Institute of Technology campus and green spaces; the North Avenue Park Hotel in Midtown lies in beautiful North Avenue Park with beloved Park Tavern downstairs; and the Garden Hotel in Uptown offers unmatched views of the city with a stellar restaurant, Witch Kitch, downstairs.

NEXT—With the city limits just about built-out, business leaders and developers are now focusing on infill development–that is, re purposing already existing empty or under-used buildings. Plans are underway to upfit two existing tenant spaces on South Main Street in Downtown: the General Store will become the Skinny, an art gallery; and Spectacle Clinic will become the Alley, a bar and lounge with Alley Street Brewery downstairs. Additionally, city leaders are considering a political restructuring of the island to annex and incorporate the Settlement of Randy in order to improve and revitalize the forgotten region.

READ — Spectacle Island: united