Spectacle ISLAND: BRIGHT FUTURE

Part 6 of the Spectacle Island series. Includes excerpts from past articles by the Spectacle Islander.

LAST — Spectacle Island: no limits

Spectacle Island is a large, populated city in the Commonwealth located on an island of the same name. The election of a new mayor marked the conclusion of an unprecedented three-term reign by the incumbent, spanning eight years—nearly half of the city’s history. New leadership has swiftly implemented substantial changes to the City’s development policies. The new mayor is focused on capping development, preserving greenspace, and reducing corporate influence, which led to the passage of laws that curtailed corporate power and halted new developments from island expansions. Despite legal challenges, the City largely succeeded in upholding these new laws, leading to the establishment of a new district, Bayview, and the proclamation of the island’s built-out status.

A BRIEF HISTORY

Change in Leadership

In 2301, Mary Anne Jacobs, a lecturer at Lowland College, won the election for mayor in a close race against the incumbent Rollie Dalton. Jacobs campaigned on the idea of capping development, preserving and promoting greenspace, and limiting the power of corporations like the Island Group, of which the incumbent mayor was a board member. Jacobs also symbolically recognized the independence of the Lowland and Randy districts. City leaders passed new laws that limited the financial and political power of business corporations, specifically related to development, property ownership, and taxation. These new laws effectively put an end to new development resulting from island expansions. However, the new laws did not apply to the final two of the six planned neighborhoods, Bayview in Uptown and City Park in Downtown, which had not broken ground at the time of the passage of the laws (Trailside was developed in 2300, while Bayfront, Camp, and Low Sun were developed in 2301).

The new laws effectively ended the possibility of proposed city-funded developments including Castletown, Starlight City, and Warwick. City leaders approved the creation of a new district, Bayview, comprising the planned neighborhoods of Bayview (renamed West Front Street) and City Park. This allowed the neighborhoods to represent themselves, rather than be extensions of the Downtown and Uptown districts. This, combined with the new laws, effectively allowed the district to alter development plans.

Change of Plans

Rollie Dalton and the Island Group sued the City of Spectacle Island for "breach of contract" and "tortious interference with business relations" over the passage of the new laws. After months of deliberation, the Spectacle Island Court ruled mostly in favor of the City, recognizing its right to govern annexation, land use, and taxation, though limiting the newfound Bayview District's ability to diverge too far from original development plans. City leaders offered to purchase properties owned by the Island Group, including the entirety of the at-the-time undeveloped Bayview District. However, the Island Group rejected the offer. As a result of the lawsuit, 2302 became the first year in the history of the city without any new development. The newly-formed Bayview district was developed during the following year. This marked the completion of the years-long implementation of the City’s comprehensive plan. As of the completion of City Park Pavilion in 2303, the city is considered built-out.

As the City celebrates the completion of the years-long implementation of its development plan, questions remain surrounding its future. While some champion the self-proclaimed built-out status of the city, others are concerned about the implications of such a proclamation, specifically on issues of attracting new businesses, residents, and visitors to the island; the Island Group, formally considered to be leading the charge of development and growth on the island and beyond, has been effectively neutered by the City’s new leadership; speculation remains as to whether the group will relocate elsewhere in the Commonwealth—perhaps to their now-squandered plans for developments at The Castle, Starlight City, or Warwick—or if they will wait for the next change of City leadership to rekindle their original plans for the island’s expansion; for now, the City plans to focus on infill development and vertical growth to support economic development and population growth.

WHAT’S NEW

BAYVIEW DISTRICT

Population: 459

Neighborhoods: City Park, West Front Street

Character areas: East Blueway, West Blueway

Points of interest: City Park, Bayview Building, City Park Hotel, Grand Green, Grand Hotel

The city’s newest district was originally planned as extensions of Downtown (City Park) and Uptown (West Front Street) by the Island Group, the city’s first corporation focused on economic and land development. Following a change in city leadership and new laws aimed at reducing the power of the corporation, the neighborhoods were combined into a new district now known as Bayview. While a court ruled that the corporation’s original development plans must remain largely unchanged, the decision ultimately allowed the neighborhoods to directly represent themselves in future matters. The district’s two neighborhoods, City Park and West Front Street, are anchored and bisected by the island’s lone internal waterway, known as the “Blueway.” A publicly-accessible trail runs parallel on both sides of the waterway. The name “City Park” refers to both the City Park and its surrounding neighborhood. In the park, a wooden bridge crosses over the waterway to connect either side of Central Avenue. On one side is a fancy cocktail bar with a patio facing the park and restaurant with a rooftop terrace; on the other side, a hotel and rooftop bar with unrivaled views of the skyline and pavilion. The district features an eclectic mix of architectural styles and building materials, largely consisting of blue metal, yellow metal glass panes, and flat roof overhangs atop exposed beams. Additionally, the district is distinguishable by the illuminated, often stacked cubes located in City Park and Grand Green.

BAYFRONT

Population: 270

Part of: Uptown

Points of interest: Bayfront Hotel

Uptown’s newest neighborhood serves as an extension of the ascendant Front Street commercial corridor, adding to an already packed assortment of restaurants, retail, nightlife, hotels, and art galleries along the strip. Specifically, Bayfront boasts an art gallery, hotel (including an in-house bar and event venue), restaurant, and two bars. Additionally, the neighborhood features twelve luxurious residences along Bay Street in the form of stacked duplexes of contemporary architectural design.

CAMP

Population: 98

Part of: The Barge

Points of interest: Camp Community Garden, Camp Hotel

Camp is the newest addition to The Barge district, mostly consisting of wooden single-family residences with two hotels. Originally intended to be part of the Randy district as a park, the name is derived from the original series of camps that preceded the annexation of Randy as a district. The name is also a clipping of the word “campus” in reference to adjacent Barge College. Some of the wood used to construct the houses was recycled from trees cleared during the construction of the Coastal Forest neighborhood. Despite the proximity to the college, no students reside within the neighborhood. Due to the high-quality nature of the structure’s architectural design and abundant vegetation along Camp Street, the cost of purchasing a house is relatively high. However, the neighborhood is largely inhabited by the college’s administrators and professors.

LOW SUN

Population: 59

Part of: Randy

Points of interest: Sunset Park, Sunset Park Hotel, Low Sun Community Garden

Low Sun, a portmanteau of “Lower Sunset (Avenue),” is Randy’s newest neighborhood. The area features eight homes along Sunset Avenue, as well as a park and hotel, aptly named Sunset Park and Sunset Park Hotel, respectively. The structures consist of laminated wood and thatch roofs. The park and adjacent Sunset Park Hotel Green feature a collection of unique sculptures including The Arch, The Low Sun, The Ovo, and The Teapot. Additionally, the neighborhood features a community garden and gathering space known to residents as the Campfire.

TRAILSIDE

Population: 528

Part of: Midtown

Character areas: High Trail, Low Trail, Silver City

Points of interest: High Trail, Midtown Entertainment Group Corporate Headquarters/Studios, Social Club

The bustling Midtown district just became even more alive with the addition of Trailside. The neighborhood is home to new ten-story, six-story, and four-story high-rises along the High Trail. The center building houses the Midtown Entertainment Group’s headquarters and studios. Along the Low Trail at ground-level, the buildings feature a mix of bars, restaurants, and lounges, including a VR lounge and drug lounge, the latter of which is the first of its kind in the city. Adjacent to the north is Silver City, a residential area featuring thirty-two units in eight apartment buildings inspired by the residential buildings in Rand'y’s Bend neighborhood. The area’s name is derived from the metal building materials used to construct the residential buildings and port facilities visible from the area.

A travel guide

Where to…

EAT—Begin your day with a warm beverage at Bayview Coffee and Tea, then head to Bayview Café and Grocery, both situated in Bayview’s West Front Street neighborhood. For lunch, enjoy skyline views from Good Company Dining Club’s rooftop terrace in Bayview’s City Park neighborhood. For dinner, indulge in an upscale experience at Yao Gai in the Grand Hotel in West Front Street, or just down the street at Razorgrain in Bayfront; or for a casual option, visit Rose’s Bar and Restaurant in Midtown’s Trailside neighborhood.

DRINK—After dinner, unwind with a nightcap at Vault Boy or Vault Girl in Trailside. Savor a glass of wine at Bayview Wine Club in West Front Street. Enjoy unparalleled skyline views from View’s rooftop terrace at City Park Hotel. Have a beer at Bay Tap in Bayfront or a mixed drink across the street at Tarberry. For sophisticated cocktails, head to The Pharmacy Cocktail Club in City Park.

PLAY—Stroll through City Park along the island’s only internal waterway towards Grand Green, using the Red Six monument as your north star. Catch a live show at the Grand Ballroom in West Front Street. Head south to admire unique sculptures in Sunset Park in Randy’s Low Sun neighborhood, or dive into virtual reality at Moving Picture VR Lounge in Trailside. For a VIP experience, secure an invite to the exclusive Social Club in Trailside. For those seeking mind-altering experiences, Pleasure Town Drug Lounge offers a safe environment to experiment and unwind.

STAY—Choose the City Park Hotel in Bayview for stunning views of City Park and the skyline. The Grand Hotel in West Front Street offers a variety of in-house activities and businesses, including a bar, event venue, spa, and two restaurants. The adjacent Bayfront Hotel in Uptown’s Bayfront neighborhood boasts an in-house bar and event venue. For a quieter stay, consider Sunset Park Hotel in Low Sun or one of two hotels in The Barge’s Camp neighborhood: Camp Hotel and East Avenue Hotel.

NEXT—As the City celebrates the completion of its extensive development plan, future prospects remain a topic of debate. While some laud the City’s proclaimed built-out status, concerns about attracting new businesses, residents, and visitors persist. The Island Group, once the spearhead of development, has been effectively neutered by the City’s new leadership. Speculations suggest a possible relocation of the corporation to other Commonwealth locations previously planned for development such as The Castle, Starlight City, or Warwick, while others wonder if the group will play the long game awaiting a leadership change to revive their original expansion plans. For now, the City plans to focus on infill development and vertical growth to sustain economic development and population growth.