This was my second project, and taught me a lot about what I like (and don't like) in buildings.

Since I wanted a complete building but wanted access to the whole of the interior, I decided to make the storeys and roof sections removable.

I chose this rather than merely making removable roof and floors as it means I can leave out the centre section and have a single storey building. I can also lay out each storey as a separate piece if there is action on each of them. This hasn't happened yet, but one must be prepared!

The basic construction is foam core, on a beaver board base. Framing and detail are made from light cardboard cut from cereal boxes and the like. The trim between floors 'aligns' the storeys and sort-of-hides the joint. (Or so I tell myself) Heavier card would have reduced the damage it has sustained in transport.

If I redid the piece now, I would NOT use any cardboard from printed packaging: It doesn't take paint or glue well. I would also use a sharper knife and a straight edge, although the windows are not as crooked as the digital camera makes 'em look.

The doors and window grilles are cut from a fine metal mesh. The doors are hinged by simple wire loops wrapped around the uprights and attached to the wall. The back door is merely an opening. I am 'planning' to redo the doors using the techniques from my 'doors' page. (I'm also planning to lose 30 lbs and win the lottery, so I suspect these doors may not be redone soon.)

There is an air-conditioning unit used as a handle to remove the roof. It is simply a block of styrofoam. On other buildings I have used blocks of wood, or a box made from cardboard. It needn't be all that good a representation to look convincing.

The window boxes are blocks of balsa with foam vegetation. (Dollar store sponges ripped up and painted an unconvincing shade of green)

I added the usual gang graffiti, with indifferent spelling. (Some based on actual examples, sadly enough...) I added no other weathering save the usual rubbish / litter.

There is a small amount of interior detail in the form of room dividers, and a counter on the ground floor. I have some 25mm plastic Star Trek figures that came with some vehicles, and I use them as mannequins for the front window. They draw a lot of fire from paranoid players. Otherwise there is no interior detailing, furniture, etc. I have a bunch of furniture from craft kits and dollar store toys, but it doesn't really add any game value.

It has been used as a store, an office building, and an apartment building, and I have thought of making some extra floor sections to make the building more flexible.