Metro Jacksonville

Urban Thinking => Analysis => Topic started by: Metro Jacksonville on May 25, 2009, 04:01:26 AM

Title: Elements of Urbanism: Boca Raton
Post by: Metro Jacksonville on May 25, 2009, 04:01:26 AM
Elements of Urbanism: Boca Raton

(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/504022408_ftNsz-M.jpg)

A brief photo tour of downtown core of Palm Beach County's second largest city: Boca Raton

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-may-elements-of-urbanism-boca-raton
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Boca Raton
Post by: heights unknown on May 25, 2009, 12:29:30 PM
Beautiful city; been through there once riding the BRT (Broward Regional Transit) when I lived in Fort Lauderdale.  Nice city, clean, full of rich snobs similar to West Palm Beach; people not very friendly to outsiders or anyone who they know or perceive don't have money.  Wouldn't want to live there, but all in all, very nice city.

Heights Unknown
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Boca Raton
Post by: reednavy on May 25, 2009, 12:59:21 PM
WPB isn't the rich one, that's Palm Beach.

I envy this location for one thing, tropical palm trees. If we could grow those palms up here w/o worry, I'd be much happier.
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Boca Raton
Post by: tufsu1 on May 25, 2009, 01:19:45 PM
Quote from: reednavy on May 25, 2009, 12:59:21 PM
WPB isn't the rich one, that's Palm Beach.

I envy this location for one thing, tropical palm trees. If we could grow those palms up here w/o worry, I'd be much happier.

that makes one of us
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Boca Raton
Post by: Cliffs_Daughter on May 25, 2009, 03:24:42 PM
I lived a couple of years in Lighthouse Point, just a couple miles south of Boca on US1.
When you crossed that bridge into PB county, you KNEW it. There's an immediate difference in how things look and feel. Signage is different, landscape is better, everything seemed 'prettier'.
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Boca Raton
Post by: civil42806 on May 25, 2009, 06:10:53 PM
Quote from: tufsu1 on May 25, 2009, 01:19:45 PM
Quote from: reednavy on May 25, 2009, 12:59:21 PM
WPB isn't the rich one, that's Palm Beach.

I envy this location for one thing, tropical palm trees. If we could grow those palms up here w/o worry, I'd be much happier.

that makes one of us

This isn't south florida, don't try and make it one.  Grow the trees that are native, then you won't have to worry about the frost.  How many queen palms has everyone seen dead in peoples front and back yards this year.
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Boca Raton
Post by: reednavy on May 25, 2009, 06:16:19 PM
Not around here in Mandarin for sure.

I have native plants, I'm pushing the envelope here, my 2 almost 20yr old queens didn't suffer any damage. I got me som foxtail palms now, and my god they're pretty. I just like the palms down there because they're some pleasing to the eye and very pretty.
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Boca Raton
Post by: heights unknown on May 25, 2009, 11:13:40 PM
Both cities, WPB and Palm Beach are wealthy; there's "richness" all over that area including Boca Raton.  Those are sable palm trees (the state tree) are they not?  Maybe I am wrong.  Jax used to have those palms all over the place but the severe cold and frosts we've had in the last 50 years or more have took its toll on them.
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Boca Raton
Post by: stjr on May 26, 2009, 12:10:31 AM
Boca Raton looks pretty in the pictures but it also looks sterile and contrived as if it was created by a Disney architect.  Very superficial and nouveau riche looking.  Devoid of any true character.  Not surprised it would draw in cyber crooks.   Not for me.

I have two 70 plus year old sable palms in my yard and they are still going strong. According to a few web sites I checked, they are good for more northern areas because they are cold hardy.  I didn't spot any sables in these Boca pictures and I don't recall seeing them in, at least, developed South Florida.  They appear to be more frequent in  coastal North and Central Florida up to South Carolina from my experience.  It is the state tree of BOTH Florida and South Carolina.

(http://dhr.dos.state.fl.us/facts/symbols/images/symbols/mid/sabal_palm.jpg)
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Boca Raton
Post by: Keith-N-Jax on May 26, 2009, 03:24:23 AM
They really like Royal Palms down there, they are native to South Florida area and hold up pretty well during hurricanes. I like palms also and have over 15 queens in my yard(yard is huge) and they did well during this winter and others. The tropical palms down south is why many people say SF is more beautiful than North Florida, but really its what one likes. Many people like the many trees seen in north Florida. Even though I like palms I like dense plantings of trees that you see here mostly, not down there. Nice pics though of Boca.