However, Stark was able to accomplish this thanks to Jarvis, a super-AI that is capable of producing computations far ahead of its time. The design he created was so detailed that it was even more precise than a LEGO construction manual. It included specifications such as the height of each wall, the load-bearing capacity of each pillar, and the installation procedures for each wire—among other details.
In simpler terms, following this design step by step would make creating a brand-new Gotham City as easy as building a set of play blocks.
And because most of the changes were minimal and involved building on top of existing structures, large-scale relocations of residents weren't necessary. Only small-scale relocations would be required when renovating the original buildings, which was well within the capabilities of both the Falcone Family and Wayne Enterprises.
Shiller suggested to them not to bite off more than they could chew. There was no need for them to start with the most difficult part. Instead, they could start with the simplest area and make improvements gradually. Even if mistakes were made, the situation wouldn't get any worse.
And yes that area was the Living Hell. Its living conditions were simply indescribable. Both Bruce and Falcone had been there, and they agreed with Shiller's view: no matter how much they renovated this Godforsaken place, it couldn't possibly get any worse than it already was.
Therefore, the Living Hell sector was chosen for the first phase of Gotham City's renovation plan.
The Living Hell, of course, had lots of inhabitants. When they found out about the renovation plans, they weren't thrilled but they had little choice but to accept. They could possibly deal with Wayne Enterprises alone, but with the Falcone Family involved, the mob boss of all Gotham, they could offer no resistance. They've heard about the compensation and had already decided to take the money and leave, never intending to return.
However, to their surprise, the renovation didn't involve a loud, dramatic teardown and reconstruction, but more of a patchwork improvement job."
First off, a construction team formed by the combined forces of various gangster families hired a large number of people and conducted a clean sweep of the area inside and out.
Previously, the Living Hell didn't have any trash disposal facilities. Most of the trash was simply thrown out the window, turning the area into a massive garbage dump. Thousands of people were used just to clear out the garbage, taking several days to complete it.
Next came the waterworks team, who set to work overhauling the plumbing based on Stark's blueprint. The Hive City's water facilities had to provide a comprehensive supply of running water, as well as solar water heaters and water purification units.
Shiller decided to skip the water heater step, since Gothamites didn't care for such luxuries. It was only 1987, did they really need more than the ability to boil their own water?
But the water purification devices were indeed necessary. This is when Bruce stepped in. He set up a regional water purification pump buried under each unit of the Hive City. This allowed for the purification and filtration of circulating water in a given region, while also facilitating the filtered discharge of boiling water into the ocean.
With Batman in action, this water purifier was created which could fully meet the demand for domestic use, and simultaneously it was very environmentally friendly.
Right after that, the power supply system was installed. This part was personally designed by Bruce as well. Gotham City certainly had enough power supply, the problem was to make efficient use of it.
All the haphazardly installed cables and antennas in the Living Hell were removed. Stark had already developed an optimized layout plan with Jarvis' help. With Batman's aid, this layout plan underwent further customizations during the actual implementation. After the new cables were installed, the entire city was free from visible power lines, while significantly improving the rate of electricity utilization and ensuring continuous power supply throughout the day.
Next came the gas supply and heating problems with similar solutions.
Furthermore, the internal passages of the Living Hell were also refined. The original complex and winding passages were widened and connected together along with the buildings. They managed to connect all the corridors and rooms along the shortest possible paths without altering the main structure of the buildings.
Based on Stark's blueprints, Bruce also designed a type of elevator specifically suited for the Living Hell. The elevator shafts were designed in a grid that reached out in every direction. The elevator cars could transport residents from their corridors to the nearest living areas.
In addition, the entire area was also equipped with necessary urban facilities such as a police department branch, an emergency hospital, rooftop parks, ecological forests on top of the buildings, recreational facilities in the alleys, and rooftop soccer fields.
Given that the renovation was a collaborative effort involving several major forces in Gotham, the amount of human and material resources deployed far exceeded the actual needs, leading to a very high work efficiency and tremendous speed.
The most important part was that they didn't need to consider the opinions of the residents due to the threat of force. No resident dared to publicly express a dissenting opinion or opposition to the renovation. The combined effort of the whole city in the renovation quickly turned the Living Hell into a complete Hive module.
The final step was to give the area a facelift. This included installing more than 6,000 high-powered lights, adding insulation layers to the exterior walls of the buildings, designing theft-proof window systems, installment of balconies, and a general beautification of the exterior facades of the buildings.
Inside the buildings, they renovated all the corridors, redesigned irrational living spaces, and rebuilt all the shopfronts in the living areas into modern stores.
In addition, they installed fire-fighting equipment, including preserved fire exits, fire-fighting devices, and fire sprinkler systems.
The final step was to create a green environment. Although there was no natural greenery on the ground in the Living Hell area, the staggered rooftop gardens, greenery in alleys, and balconies, however, still managed to meet the mandatory greenery standards.
So, when the Living Hell residents who had been relocated back to their homes, they found themselves in a place that felt familiar, yet was utterly different.
It was a modern, even futuristic three-dimensional Hive City. It felt crowded but there was plenty of room. There were walkways in every direction but it wasn't chaotic at all. It might appear to lack a few things, but all aspects were well considered and all conveniences were managed methodically. It felt like everything was in a place where it shouldn't be, yet everything was still remarkably accessible.
What's more, apart from its functionality, it also reached the pinnacle of visual aesthetics.
A steel forest rose from the ground, with metal handrails turning into branches and countless lights becoming leaves. The lights danced in the cold steel skeleton, fitting for this insane city. People were bustling about, light and dark intertwined, warmth on top of cold, making the city seem all the more vast and the human race appear even smaller.
This was 1987 after all. Most cities were merely made up of tall buildings and highways. Even looking ahead to the 21st century, this cyberpunk-style city retained its progressive charm and could shock people from any era to their core.
Furthermore, it was not only about improving the living quality of the residents, but more importantly, two overpasses ran through the center of this modular city, tripling the transport capacity of the entire street.
Many truck drivers stopped using the highway on the ground next to the neighborhood and switched to the overpass. This instantly increased the traffic capacity of the area. And if there was an accident on one road, signal lights would guide the drivers to another route at the entrance. This provided a substantial leeway in terms of logistic transport.