This is the player background about Coastal City, the main setting for their heroes.
Coastal City
Area: About 200 sq mi
Population: About 1.6 million in the city proper.
Mayor: Ernest Hughes
Geography
Coastal City is on the Spader Bay of the Atlantic Ocean around the mouths of the Georgiana and Oneka rivers. Both were important for shipping in early times, but now all shipping goes through the northern Oneka River. A canal was dug to connect the Georgiana to the South Bell River as well.
Demographics
Coastal City is about 40% non-hispanic white, 30% african american, 20% hispanic, and 8% asian. Major ethnic groups include Irish, Greek, Italian, Puerto Rican, Korean, Haitian, Thai, Dominican and Jewish. The median household income is $53,000. The majority of the population identifies as Christian, but there are significant Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, and other religious communities as well.
Economy
Coastal City is an important trade center, whose port still does a large amount of business. It used to have a lot of heavy manufacturing, but that has declined steadily over the last decades. There is a large financial district with many banks and company office buildings, and a “New” industrial district specializing in technology and communications.
Education
The public school system is the major educational system, although private and parochial schools exist. Coastal City University (CCU) is becoming a leader in research and has been growing steadily. Recent breakthroughs in computing power have brought a lot of attention to this previously unremarkable institution.
Public Safety
Crime is a part of coastal city life. It is particularly pronounced in the neighborhoods around the old industrial district. Greek Town is well known to be the center of organized crime in the city, and Blue Creek is overrun with gang violence. The police of Coastal City are widely considered inept or corrupt, leading to the resignation of the previous chief of police.
Infrastructure
Most of the streets are laid out in a grid, although freeways and some other roads run diagonally. Bridges cross all the rivers, but get very busy during rush hour. There are public buses and an above ground train system, but no subway.
Map (Each Square is a Square Mile):
Notable Districts:
Harbor District: Located on the north edge of town where the Oneka river enters the ocean, the harbor district is a busy place with many ships entering and leaving at all times.
New Industrial District: Starting with the opening of Price Communications and Technology, this district has seen a lot of new growth. It represents the new, high tech industries that are taking over Coastal City’s manufacturing.
Coastal City University: CCU is a major University with around 20,000 students. It has gained prestige in recent years due to breakthroughs in computing and physics.
Financial District: Home to many banks and corporate headquarters, many of the tallest and iconic buildings are located here. Of particular note is Morgan Tower, the tallest building in the city at 900 ft and 75 stories.
Arts District: Home to many parks, museums, and theaters, this is a major tourist destination for people visiting Coastal City.
Retail District: This is the main shopping district of the city. Of course, there is shopping all over the city, but this is where people come from all over the world to purchase high-end luxury goods and experience the glamor of Coastal City.
Old Industrial District: Although there are still some operational factories, this district has generally suffered greatly in recent years as many jobs moved elsewhere. It is now associated with poverty, crime, and disrepair.
Coastal City Airport: Located on the southern edge of the city, this airport flies all over the country and to most major international locations.
Fort Wright Army Base: Technically outside the city proper, this small base offers training for Army recruits and houses a small garrison and arsenal. Despite being on the water, it is not a naval base, and the soldiers stationed there make sure you know that.
Notable Neighborhoods:
New Harlem: Named after the famous district in New York, New Harlem is home to a thriving community of predominantly african american artists and businesses. It is the hippest neighborhood in the city and some residents are complaining that an influx of white hipsters is ruining its distinctive culture.
Allegan Heights: This is the wealthiest neighborhood in town and the high end condos and houses are both stunning and ridiculously priced.
Little Israel: This is a small enclave of traditionally Jewish immigrants. It has grown and shrunk over the years and now is a relatively poor, but safe neighborhood. Eiten has an apartment here.
Greek Town: This neighborhood is known for two things: delicious Mediterranean food and organized crime. The Nicolaides family successfully drove out the Italian Mafia in 1962 and have been the main crime family in Coastal City ever since.
The Larry: Named after the large Arnold P. Laramie apartment complex, this is where many of the city’s young professionals live. No one knows exactly when or why locals started calling the entire area around the Laramie buildings ‘The Larry’ but everybody has a theory.
Blue Creek: Dependent on the old industrial district for work, Blue Creek is now one of the poorest neighborhoods in Coastal City. Rival gangs commit violent crimes at a shockingly high level, and it is something of a national embarrassment.
Chinatown: The now poorly named Chinatown was originally a vibrant Chinese immigrant community, but now the Chinese have been almost completely supplanted by other groups. The most numerous ethnic groups are Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, but Japanese, Cambodian, and Malaysian are also significant. Every so often people try to rename this district, but the residents can’t agree on any particular name, so it remains Chinatown. Mindy’s father lives here.
Ra's Head 