city building in simcity 3k

I know Sim City 3000 unlimited is a old game but it's so goood. I love it. But I have a porblem. My problem is this I don't think I'm maximizing my physical space potential and think I can crunch my cities so they take up less room which allows for more people. Also I'm having trouble raising land value. I've seen Maxis done maps with high or higher industrial zones with beautiful looking factories and while I've been able to raise land value for residental and commercial to medium and maybe high never could I do it for nustrial zones. My problem is besides ordinances, building hundreds of parks and fountains (which I do), and besides public buildings (police, fire), and waterside construction how else do I create beautiful cities like the premade ones maxis includes? I mean strategies would be nice. I try my best and I have no problem growing cities but I want to know of more efficient ways to zone, use space, and raise land value. I want to create cities whose land value is dispersed the way I want it to be not by chance or fate.