Monday, June 29, 2015

The Beauty And Business Of Boca Raton

By Jony Mozen


A short distance from Miami sits a smaller city, a city which lists over eighty four thousand residents. Although, those actually residing within the boundaries of Boca Raton only count for a small percentage of those counted during the 2013 census.

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 most historic and popular hotels in the area is that of a nearby local hotel resort & club, originally known as Addison Mizners Ritz-Carlton Cloister Inn, it was built in 1926, only one year after incorporation of the city. Currently, it remains one of the only five star rated hotels and resorts in Florida. With that being said, there are still several independent bed and breakfasts, hotels and chain lodging establishments with high ratings in the area.

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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