In Case of Armageddon, Break Out the GIS

ADiva writes "There's a detailed, three-dimensional, interactive map of New York City which captures the five boroughs down to the square foot, incorporating everything from building floor plans to subway and sewer tubes. Could the city be rebuilt if destroyed? Should it?" As a New York resident, let me say that if something Bad happened to the city, I hope it is built anew rather than trying to recreate the 1910-era buildings that make up half the city's housing. An "Old New York" in the Metaverse might be fun to visit, though.

Comments

Suggested plans to rebuild NYC

[Navius Eurisko]

In you already didn't know, there are a lot of scenarios regarding rebuilting cities (and New York in particular.)

* Rebuilt New York as a maximun security prision and plot out a flight path for Air Force One right over the city.

* Rebuilt New York a mile away. Motocycle gangs will battle each other, gray skinned wrinkly children will roam the streets, and a teenage boy with a red cape and a "Da Da Da" theme will wreak havoc.

* Dinosaurs. 'nuff said.

* In case of flood: Lease out above water skyscrappers to robotics manufacturers.

* In case of attack by phantasmal alien beings: Erect a "Barrier City" and make everyone look like a Doom III screenshot.

* In case of attack by 200' tall lizard or ape: Air force to the rescue, barbecue for the civilians.

As you can see, you can rest easy knowing that every possible scenario regarding NYC has already been covered.

Warning: NYC rebuilding scenarios may require several poor thought out and executed "sequel" scenarios should the first scenario be received well by the population.

Re:I vote for 100 year old designs

[rgmoore]

There's a degree of false sorting in the belief that the things built that long ago are better. Part of the reason that those 100 year old buildings seem to be so well built is because the badly built buildings from the same time period have all been replaced already. The 1900 equivalent of our lousy apartment buildings and cheaply built houses have either been knocked down for those newer developments or have degenerated into the awful old slum housing that you've probably never visited.

Also, when you look at the wonderful 100 year old buildings that impress you so much, you have to remember that they're not necessarily exactly like they were when they were built. Buildings are not static. The structure may remain largely the same but the interiors undergo periodic renovation and reconstruction. In the process, people change the things that annoy them or they think are badly done. Space gets redistributed to different needs, design flaws get smoothed over, and things are generally improved. Many, many buildings become gradually more functional over time as they're adapted to the way that people actually do things, rather than the way that architects imagined that they'd do things.

i live in times square

[circletimessquare]

i live in times square and i just have a few details for the metaverse keepers:

yes, there are dishes in my sink, but when you rebuild could you replace them with an empty sink?

i have a pile of laundry as well. see what you can do about that. thank you.

i'd like a bigger tv for me in new york 2.0, please? oh and more windows! i don't know why there isn't one on the west wall, it's a perfect place for it.

move that hotel over a few feet so i get a better view too.

thank you! much appreciated! ;-P

ps: can you fix the bedroom window? it lost it's spring and doesn't stay up when i open it, thank you very very much.