Mapping project: help requested

[riotproofcity]

Greetings Everyone –

I recently started a new position with a real estate development firm operating in NYC. My first assignment is to create a map/reference system for a large swathe of land in a particular part of Queens, encompassing about 50 city blocks. The principals want a large map that includes the entire area, followed by smaller maps that include 3-4 blocks at a time documenting individual building plots with detailed property information.

I’m familiar with Photoshop, and just started learning programs such as MightyMap and Property Shark. My initial plan of action was to place the maps in Photoshop and write over them, but this is proving difficult and incredibly time consuming. I’m wondering if anyone here has been faced with similar problems or might have some suggestions. I’m vaguely familiar with GIS, and I’m fairly confident I can convince the Principals to pay for a training workshop and purchase the program, but I’m not totally sure this would be the correct route and all of the training sessions I’ve found in the area are booked for the month and have waitlists for the following.

Any help, ideas, suggestions would be very much appreciated.

[beach_bum]

You should definitely use GIS for the map...with GIS you can store all the relevant informatin and do so with the coordinates or addresses. I am very familiar with ArcGIS 9.2 and I couldn't imagine using anything else for this type of project. Photoshop might be helpful for making the map 'pretty.' Although the layout view of ArcGIS allows you to 'draw on the map' similarly to a Microsoft Word or Powerpoint function on images.

One caution is that the software is quite expensive and because GIS skills are highly sought after you may be doing more in the future once they see what it can do! Good Luck!

[Cardinal]

Yes, GIS is the way to go. Updating is as simple as updating a spreadsheet, instead of manually changing text added to an image. Most of the basic data is probably available at no cost from the state and city.

[kdenman]

You definitely want to use a GIS. If you have or can get assessor parcel data, then all the address and ownership information for all the parcels will be stored with the location. ESRI has online courses that are cheaper than live classroom, plus they are self-paced. I have taken several and found them to be very useful. Plus you can request a free student copy of an ArcView license (I think it lasts 60 days, but then you can just request another one). I have used GIS a lot for projects similar to what it sounds like you are doing, so if you have any other questions, let me know!