In the South

[faraway]

...City of Commerce was a small farming area until after WW2 when it started to be built up. The result is that I don't remember seeing any brick buildings in the City of Commerce...

Russ, that is an interesting information. With the right details the "shoe box buildings" might be used starting some time after WW II as far as the area is new build. Otherwise some kind of transition from brick to concrete tilt up should be modeled.

I have no intention to build something like that. I got the Santa Fe GP9 with zebra scheme for a possible future layout somewhere in Kansas with all over wheat, wheat and more wheat and lots of country elevators. But that is far future!

btw. By term "shoe box buildings" I do not mean concrete tilt up buildings only. I do see a lot of industrial building based on vertical steel I beams with a skin of corrugated steal. That "skin" has often parts of plastic etc. Older and smaller buildings are made of larger brick and often white painted. However the single stones (about 1/2' * 1') are well visible. I mean in general buildings erected after WW II without any kind of architectural art. Just plain functionality.

Tetters, thank you for the kind words.

ps. some steel added and some steal removed....looks much better now