NorthamptonGoogleModels-ReadmeNorthampton Google Models - Readme
City of Northampton Massachusetts
Google Sketch Up and Earth Models
This files set contains both Sketchup (skp) files, as well as Google Earth (kmz) files. It is important to note that the creation and use of these models only requires the free versions
of Google Sketchup (Version 6) and Google Earth (Version 4). To use these files simply choose open from the file menu, and then the desired file(s) in their respective programs.
In the Individual Buildings folder, models of individual buildings are arranged into different areas of the city, by folder. There are a few exceptions where it was necessary to combine
two or three structures, since Google Warehouse would not accept certain models as having a geographic location of their own. Both skp and kmz files are present for each model. All
of these files have been uploaded to the Google Warehouse server. The exception is Northampton City Hall, for which a good model already exists in Google Earth (Northampton Town Hall
by Jayzel, uploaded on February 21, 2007), appearing there automatically. If the enclosed City Hall model was uploaded, the two structures would overlap.
Another exception is the contents of the Proposed folder, which contains models of the two proposed features from the original Mill River Corridor modeling project. These are the building
designed for the area between Pulaski Park and the Round House as well as the courtyard café proposed by the Accident Analysis Group for 16 Armory Street. There are two variations
of the café, one which is only the updated façade, courtyard, and rearranged parking lot, the other contains these features with the full 16 Armory Street building and all other surrounding
buildings. All three models are in skp and kmz format. Since they were only proposed, they were not uploaded to the Google Warehouse server. However they could be if this was desired,
but this should be done with only the files named 16ArmoryFacadeOnlyWith-AAG-Prop and ProposedBuildings-MunicipalBlock. It is not necessary to upload the file named ArmoryBlockWith-AAG-Prop
since most of it, (except the café contained in file 16ArmoryFacadeOnlyWith-AAG-Prop) has already been uploaded. Furthermore, it is a very large and detailed file, and has only been
provided for reference to be used locally.
The Collections folder contains kmz files which contains buildings grouped together for there respective areas of the city, as well as one (CityOfNorthampton-OPD.kmz) that contains all
these collections together for quick loading into Google Earth on a local computer. There is also one of the Municipal Block with the proposed building. This folder also contains
a single skp file (NoHo-Base.skp) to be used for review incase Google Earth does not function well on your computer. However, this file (NoHo-Base.skp) is the parent to all the other
existing structures models and does not have all of the improvements that occurred to them. As delivered, this file only has the terrain, Municipal and Armory layers turned on for
quick loading. The rest of the models may be turned on in the layers control.
List of improvements:
Almost all of these models were converted from flight file (flt) format. All buildings have been aligned to their correct geographic locations within Google Earth. Because Google Earth
is not using a true orthographic image, these buildings have been aligned to their footprints, not their rooflines. All except for the two proposed structures (and City Hall, because
it is already modeled in Google Earth) have been uploaded to the Google Earth server and are available in Google Warehouse. Most buildings have at least one fixed (several required
repositioning) or new texture. Seems left open by ModelBuilder have been filed when possible and practical, otherwise internal texturing was used as a mask. Flat top roof textures
are now from Sketchup. New structures along King Street include 2 gas stations, pumps for the gas stations, and vacuums for the car wash. The pump and vacuum islands are created from
"Gas station" by Google, Uploaded on May 1, 2007, downloaded from (http://www.sketchup.com). Acknowledgment and thanks to the Google community for providing this great base model for
our enjoyment and re-use accompanies these models. Generic restaurant buildings have been modified to reflect their actual shapes. Models which were only facades have been double
sided. Throughout the models, roof, asphalt, concrete, fence, grate, and transparent textures have been update with Sketchup textures. A few Sketchup doors and windows have been added
as well. Some porches have been improved to be see through with independent columns. The bridge in the SideSts-14-BridgeAptments model has been updated to work with Google Earths
terrain as well as the MunicipalBlock-08-GrayApartments model. All models are labeled with a brief description and:
-City of Northampton, Massachusetts, U.S.
Office of Planning and Development
This model was converted from flight file format