Gemini Park
The latest in the city government's attempt to revitalize the depressed area of "Suicide Slum" is Gemini Park. Founded on the "village" concept, Gemini Park is housing project, small open air shops, and an actual small park with a small pond in the middle.
The open air shops contain a variety of stores from laundry service, local grocer, a pharmacy and numerous ethnic restaurants. Housing are brownstone tenement buildings which face the park that gives the neighborhood its name. Said park is at least one third of the neighborhood with a recessed area in the middle where the pond sits.
During the day, the park is relatively safe, though at night, many gangs use the park as a battleground to settle disputes in violent conflicts.
Purpose / Function
A few years ago, city council member, Markus Foster, had been taking one of the regular tours of the Hob's Bay area as part of his campaign re-election efforts. Many of the city council try to drum up voters from among the Hob's Bay residents. But that year was different.
That year, the Councilman Foster and his entourage were attacked by an armed group of criminals. The 'gang' was nothing of the kind, but enforces sent by the organized crime boss, Card Shark. Card Shark had been the councilman's favorite example of 'criminal scum' that needed cleaning up, and Card Shark decided to retaliate. Councilman Foster's bodyguards were caught completely by surprise.
If it hadn't been for the timely intervention of The Shadow, Foster would have been hurt or worse. But he wasn't.
Once re-elected, Markus Foster pushed through a proposal to renovate Hob's Bay and reclaim it from the criminal element that seemed to thrive there. Without a place for crime to take hold, there would be no need for vigilantes like the Shadow and others.
So ground was broken on Gemini Park to provide an attractive, and safe, area for people to work, shop and live.
But, there is a saying about the "best laid plans of mice and men ..."Alterations
Since its inception, Gemini Park has undergone some renovations. It contains the newest buildings in comparison to the rest of the area, but cheap building materials along with the proximity to the bay itself contributed to the current poor visual condition of the buildings.
Architecture
The architecture of the buildings is the same 'brownstone' architecture used throughout Hob's Bay. It was thought to keep with the original architectural design which fit the 'village' concept. A visual design that was thought to be considered quaint and attract a younger crowd to the area, thereby breathing life back into that neighborhood of Hob's Bay.
Type
Arcology / Residential Complex
Parent Location
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