The Old And The New Boca Raton

By Jony Mozen


When it comes to beaches and sunshine, amusements and dining, nightlife and shopping, the Miami area has it all. Originally incorporated in 1925, Boca Raton, only 43 miles from Miami now hosts over 84,000 residents of its own. Although, a number of people reside outside the boundaries, only using this smaller city as a center for business and economic trade.

In fact, the smaller of these two cities was built as a business center. As such, the daytime population of the area often increases drastically. Whereas, the population at nightfall can at times seem almost non-existent.

One of the finest and the only five star rated hotel in Florida is located in the area. As such, visitors to Miami and the smaller city often enjoy staying at this fine establishment. Built in 1926, only one year after the city was incorporated, it was originally a Ritz-Carlton. While this may be the only five star resort in the area, there area also a number of other lodging options.

Business came to town when International Business Machines (IBM, ) moved into the area in the early to mid-1960s. Working in secret with another corporation, the two acquired a great deal of land just west of a rail line. While the site was originally located outside the city limits, it was eventually annexed.

Whether looking to move to, work in, or simply visit this area of Florida, individuals will no doubt find the area warm and welcoming. Also, while the city is quite historic, there are also new dining and shopping opportunities in downtown and other areas. One of the biggest is that of the downtown park Plaza Real and the many storefronts and restaurants which now grace the area along with a number of new business parks.

IBM and Bill Gates then developed the first personal computers for home and business. Later, the two worked together again when the IBM OS/2 operating system merged with the initial Windows operating system. So, while a lot of decay has happened in the area, some historical relics remain. Though, as it is mostly the eastern areas of the city which have seen such decay, pieces of the complex have also been lost in time.

Once the decay became bad enough that the area could be redeveloped, redevelopment began. First, in the eastern areas of the city, then later downtown. For, while the original shopping mall had become empty and barren, it was not long before a new outdoor shopping center complete with restaurants and other amenities took its place.

All in all, this redevelopment over the old shopping mall has helped to revitalize the city. Other mixed use buildings either recently constructed or still under construction hope to continue the trend. Though, when it comes to housing, as with other cities, it seems while there are plenty of new homes, condos and apartments available though many are outside the reach of middle class America.




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