Welcome to Belle Isle
The idea was to turn Windenburg island into Belle isle, an island in the Detroit river, right between Detroit/USA and Windsor/Canada. I came up a list of lots, but the first one already proved difficult.
Irl:
https://64.media.tumblr.com/42e8edabe2a42ec83aa2481a6db5ac5b/d361e31abc1baea5-7f/s540x810/83adb54ad395242271216835213ded715c35d16e.png
In game:
https://64.media.tumblr.com/68f0e5f91361bb0c427384edddf6e39c/d361e31abc1baea5-a2/s540x810/45290c34bc21914539813eb3171dfd5aada08361.png
Detroit Yacht Club
The yacht club exists as a club that is set to Invite only and currently has three members who are genuine sailing enthusiasts. Sims looking to join something closer to a Gentlemen’s club are better off applying with the Knights of the Hedge.
For lack of space (and because sims cannot boat in Windenburg) the marina in Brindleton Bay serves as backdrop and hangout for my sailing sims. I pretend it is on Belle Isle, what is a bit tricky, because Brindleton Bay exists as a place in my lore, too. Same architect having cashed in twice, maybe?
City Beach
The second problem is the non-swimable water in Windenburg. I can only assume that in 2049 the Detroit river is too polluted to dip into.
Belle Isle Aquarium
https://64.media.tumblr.com/00490b03ea9079f5160a93c73c8cf1f3/d361e31abc1baea5-d8/s540x810/55b0305eb09f45b11c79c8b38319074e45f38c7a.png
A basic rectangle filled with fishtanks. I zoned it as a museum and put some (vanilla and cc) posters on the walls. Several of my sims like ornamental fish, so it would be in-character for them to visit this lot, but there isn’t much to do here other than kissing in front of the fish. (The Kissing Gourami might even give them hints on their technique.)
Anna Scripps Whitecomb Conservatory
https://64.media.tumblr.com/c3ac2ad2b89832cfa77123f39c1d8ab6/d361e31abc1baea5-1d/s540x810/9cc2570e391953e302bff016c7a5d38cd0a3a3b9.png
Right next to the aquarium irl, in my game it sits a bit lower, but still close by. The lot is Magical Greenhouse Ruins by DarkChadmeister, it comes with an underground apartment and a koi pond and I added a Wishing Well. Sims come here for the scenery, and to share spellcasting gossip outside the formal, research-oriented atmosphere of the Magic HQ.
Abandoned Zoo ruins
https://64.media.tumblr.com/dcacf3760a0bd50458aefcf67b50304c/d361e31abc1baea5-98/s540x810/9b9e2f0829748d3ef124e2eccb960b2d5cdf5aaf.png
The overgrown areal is represented by Old Corner park by birksche. Currently it serves as a playground and rustic barbecue area (with an insect farm that I allow my sims to cheat-harvest). Longterm I plan to make it into a petting zoo with cows, llamas, chickens, rabbits, songbirds, bees, more insects and caged rodents.
Fountain of Gluteus Maximus
https://64.media.tumblr.com/eef01c042dcdc56e3a32b672a99c5590/d361e31abc1baea5-f4/s540x810/f85081e9bb946e3bf1a0c5fc8de980313ad97e38.png
I either dislike building because I’m bad at it, or I’m bad at it because I dislike it, or maybe both, anyway, it shows. This lot is probably the greatest crime against aesthetics, but at least it vaguely resembles the irl landmark. And I love the Gluteus Maximus fountain to pieces, so when I saw this little square in a video, I knew I had to reserve a lot on my island for it.
Zoned as a park, activities here are fountain splashing, sprinkler fun and water balloon fights.
CyberLife Tower
https://64.media.tumblr.com/6134f33b4179bf73bd81e35a2b6e1b53/d361e31abc1baea5-ba/s540x810/b15fc714c0d9c18607022392960c530167906157.png
Since my save isn’t just based in Detroit, but specifically the PS4 game Detroit: Become Human, I had to account for this monstrosity. In the actual game it looks as if the whole island is covered with CyberLife research- and production facilities, and I will certainly use Belle Isle like this if I reset my save. But the concept art shows the tower as a business/office tower that is nicely integrated into the landscape, a situation that fits better with my current save.
CL tower is represented by The Radiant Luxor by CODEX, the lot also houses CyberLife’s new space program. It sports one of currently three space ships in Detroit, two of which are capable of reaching Sixam.
The tower is also the hangout of the CyberLife Board Meeting club, although I tend to have them assemble at the club leader’s apartment instead.
So this was my little Belle Isle. It’s not much, but it adds a ton of immersion for me. (Looking up real world places and events is also informative - I remember how I temporarily became an expert on Australian colonial history when I was playing the Settler Challenge.)
