What ‘Downtown’ Means For You

By Alejandra Zamora

The city of Boca Raton has come a long way from its time as Africa USA in the 1950s; the South Florida town that many of us call home has been under a building boom for quite some time now. Glamorous and exciting construction projects have been the theme of our little city ever since mayor Susan Haynie was elected in 2013. From new residential high-rises, like the Residences of Mandarin Oriental, to popular hotel chains, like the Hyatt Place, Boca is becoming home to much more than Mizner Park and Town Center Mall. While new and intriguing, this new city growth is unfamiliar to some residents, as many wonder what living near or in a downtown location means for them and their families.

Other than the occasional congested streets during rush hour, living in close proximity to a small city actually brings unexpected perks to its residents. With so many new things to do around you, walking becomes the preferred method of transportation. Not only is this good for our environment, but it makes fitting some cardio into your daily workout routine easy!

A larger sense of community and a greater cultural connection also comes with a developing city. City-wide social events, such as arts festivals or fun runs, are likely to occur more frequently. In addition, local museums that you probably never knew existed come back into the limelight with the growing population. New places to eat and shop become even more abundant as well, satisfying the foodie and window-shopper in all of us.

Another big highlight is the many new employment opportunities that arise as a result of the downtown development, an especially huge asset to young professionals.

As if Boca wasn’t a desirable location before, it’s now an even greater place to live, becoming a wonderful combination of a coastal community and city center. To all current residents, embrace the downtown scene, for you never know if you'll find your new favorite hobby or lunch spot around the corner. And to all non-residents, come visit our beautiful town- who knows, you may fall in love and become a local yourself! And if that happens, we at Collins & Company can help you make the right move.