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.

While the city is prone to business, there are also a number of lodging, dining, shopping and other amusements which locals and tourists enjoy. With Miami being only 43 miles away, it is only a short drive to music, sporting and other events which may be too big for the small city. For those seeking housing, while there are some reasonable living arrangements, generally prices are quite high when it comes to purchasing apartments, condos or homes in the area.

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.

It was early on in city history when IBM built a business complex in the area. First, it was located in an unincorporated area of the county though later that area of the county was annexed by the city and so too, IBM. It appears IBM and another corporation worked in secret to obtain the land and build the complex which was the first major development of the company.

This small city and IBM are to be thanked for the first PC, which was developed in the area. The business park still in existence now stands next to the Tri-City rail park. Ahead of its time, the business complex was built with its own electrical substation, water pump and rail line. Eventually, IBM began to build other complexes in other cities, and outgrew the small plaza.

A number of historic relics remain in the older areas of the city. For example, the business complex in which IBM was built still houses the conference table and office in which Bill Gates signed the first deal with IBM related to the development of MS-DOS, one of the first operating systems for personal computing.

Since the closure of the original mall, the downtown area has been built up with a new outdoor shopping center, several restaurants and improvements to the park including an outdoor amphitheater. The site also features a park which lies between the two main thoroughfares, now known as Plaza Real. A number of tourists have suggested the area is akin to shopping centers found in the Mediterranean.

Unfortunately, those looking to reside in the area are finding the same high rents and mortgages found in many other small cities in and outside Florida. While the area and Miami may be great places to do business, eat, shop and play, the housing costs in the area are too high for most to qualify.




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