Virtual+Downtown+Reno

Brandon Sendall (bsendall@yahoo.com); Fred Steinmann (fred@unr.edu); Jamie "What you talkin' 'bout Willis?" Powers (powersj2@unr.nevada.edu);
 * __Project Title:__** Virtual Downtown Reno
 * __Particpants:__** Pat Guiberson (patg@unr.edu);


 * __Abstract:__**


 * __Abstract – Virtual Downtown Reno__**
 * __Past, Present and Future__**

By:

Mr. Brandon Sendall, B.S. Ms. Jaime Powers Mr. Frederick Steinmann, B.S., M.S.

April 25, 2007

The use of Geographic Information System (GIS) software largely become popular in the early to mid 1990’s. However, most GIS applications have relied heavily on two dimensional representations of a three dimensional world. Recent advances in both computer hardware and software has allowed the GIS practitioner to work in the three dimensional world as much as they have worked in the two dimensional world. The use of Google Sketch-Up, in combination with more conventional two dimensional GIS applications such as Google Earth and ArcGIS has allowed the GIS practitioner to develop three dimensional environments for various planning functions including redevelopment of historically significant portions of America’s oldest cities. This project presents the application of a three dimensional environment of the City of Reno’s downtown redevelopment district to conventional planning and redevelopment functions. The use of the three dimensional application has allowed the developers of this project to show the physical relationships between historical structures, existing structures and planned structures in a confined and fairly small geographic delineation.

__**Project Description:**__ In this project we will show how planned downtown development will fit in with existing structures.

__**Status:**__ x

__**Discussion:**__ x

__**Some screen shots of our work in progress:**__

Virtual Downtown Reno - Base Map (04/12/07 - BS FS)



Virtual Downtown - A work in progress. Scaled models of downtown Reno buildings built in a seperate Google Sketch-Up file and then copied/pasted over the Base Map in a new Google Sketch-Up file. When pasted, the "building" or "building group" is made a group, scaled, sized and then placed on the footprint of the actual building in the Base Map. Once the building is scaled and properly placed, the "group" is "exploded" to allow for editing including any resizing if needed, elimination of "ghost lines" and preparation for "skinning".

Virtual Downtown Reno - Work in Progress (04/12/07 - BS FS)

More buildings are added to "build the city".

Virtual Downtown Reno - Work in Progress V3 (04/12/07 - BS FS)



Virtual Downtown Reno - Work in Progress V4 (04/12/07 - BS FS)



Here are some "skins" or pictures of existing buildings - like the Silver Legacy, Eldorado, Harrah's, Arlington Tower and others - that we will use to "skin" the blank buildings already built. (04/21/07 - BS FS)



Here are some "skins" or pictures of NEW DEVELOPMENTS - like the 210 North, Arterra, Belvedere Tower and others - that we will use to "skin" the blank buildings already built. (04/21/07 - BS FS)



4/28/07 - All existing buildings are now in the sketchup file. I have it saved on my flash drive, but cannot save it onto fred's student file. I will have it on Wednesday, or anytime before that if we need it. (BS).

5/03/07 - Here is the process for applying "skins" to the buildings designed in Google Sketch-up: (FS)

Step 1: Determine "what building" or surface you will use to apply the skin. Here, we have determined to apply the skin to the Reno City Hall at 1 E 1st Street in Downtown Reno (the building is highlighted in yellow):



Step 2: Open the JPEG you are going to work with - edit the JPEG via "crop" to eliminate parts of the picture that you do not want as the final "skin" to be applied.

Sttep 3: In Sketch-Up, click on "File", then "Import" as seen in the below screen capture:



Step 4: In the "Import Menu", select the JPEG file you wish to import. **Make sure you select "Use as texture" BEFORE you import your skin**

Step 5: After selecting "ok" from the import menu, place your JPEG skin on a corner of the building and then stretch to the opposite corner. **Note: This only works on FLAT surfaces - you can not do this on a rounded surface.** Once you complete this step you will have the final product as seen below:



5/05/07 - Progress on placing "skins" on the building surfaces. There was considerable difficulty in placing a skin on a curved or sphere shape. This was resolved by changing the sphere to a cube and placing a 2-d pic of the sphere (4 points of reference, 360 degrees around the sphere) on the flat surface. Additional difficulty was found in placing two skins onto the same plane. See the "wedding chapel" pic below. This was resolved by creating 2 planes, with one offset slightly from the other.



My Google Earth Project Take me back to Google GOO I wanna go Home