30 juin 2015

The Beauty And Business Of 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.

As the city has now been built as a center of business, the daytime population increases dramatically. Due to Miami being only a few miles away, it is quite popular with tourists and locals. Whether a short drive to beaches, museums and nightlife in Miami, or simply living the simple life at home, the area has a lot to offer.

Although, as the area also houses a well known hotel, resort and club, originally known as the Ritz-Carlton hotel, and the only 5 rated hotel in Florida, it is definitely worth a visit. While this may be the only five star property, there are also several other lodging options available. As such, whether traveling on a shoe-string or high dollar budget, there is often something for everyone.

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.

The complex initially brought a lot of workers to the area. As the first developer of personal computers, engineering and research and development were key positions at the company. Sadly, while much of the complex still exists, other areas have fallen on hard times. Though, the conference table and office where Bill Gates first signed a deal with IBM related to the MS-DOS operating system still remains as a relic to the time.

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.

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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