Boca’s Impressive Boom

As The Boca Raton Observer has rejoiced and reflected on our 20th anniversary this year, we want to turn our attention to celebrating our wonderful city, watching with pride and anticipation as it continues to flourish and approaches its grand centennial milestone in 2025. We spoke to local officials about their vision for the future of Boca Raton and the changes residents can expect to see in the coming months.

Beautiful Boca

Once a tiny agricultural community in the 1900s, the city of Boca Raton has transformed over the years into a world-renowned beachside hotspot that boasts a thriving job market, a vibrant cultural scene and an abundance of outdoor and recreational activities.

Recently, Boca Raton’s growth has been driven by new commercial and residential construction and an influx of technology and financial businesses. The demographics of the city have also changed, as Boca Raton has shed its reputation as a retirement haven and embraced a new identity as a growing and dynamic destination.

Jessica Del Vecchio, economic development manager for the City of Boca Raton, says that stereotype originated with the hit television show “Seinfeld,” where the cast joked about a fictional retirement community called Del Boca Vista.

The reality, says Del Vecchio, is that the city, home to approximately 100,000 residents, is getting younger, with a median age of 47.

Along with an uptick in residents moving to Boca Raton, the city has seen a surge in construction.

“There are many exciting developments in the works, including restaurants that have either opened recently or are coming soon, as well as new large-scale business and arts projects,” says Milton Segarra, president and CEO of Discover the Palm Beaches, the official tourism marketing corporation for Palm Beach County.

While much of Boca Raton’s growth focuses on the downtown district, the city is also expanding in other areas. Recent projects include the modernization of local hotels, additions to existing health care facilities and the construction of a new arts center. The high-speed railway Brightline opened a station in Boca Raton in 2022, connecting travelers to events and destinations between South and Central Florida.

Boca’s New Business Growth

Boca Raton has experienced significant growth since the pandemic, with many companies relocating to the area. Del Vecchio says companies are drawn to the city’s low corporate tax rates and exceptional quality of life.

“Boca Raton has always attracted businesses from the northeast, but since the COVID-19 pandemic, the influx has been really incredible,” she says. “Companies appreciate how their employees can live and work here and be outdoors 99% of the time.”

She adds that many of the businesses relocating to Boca Raton are in the finance and technology sectors. Midtown has been transformed into the city’s financial hub, housing 38 NYSE and Nasdaq-listed companies. While some companies are moving their corporate headquarters to Boca Raton, others are establishing a presence in South Florida by opening satellite offices.

“The insurance company Mutual of America is based on Park Avenue in New York City, but they also have a satellite office at their regional headquarters here in The Park at Broken Sound,” Del Vecchio says. “Although they’ve had a presence here since the ’80s, they’re now planning to demolish their current offices and replace them with a larger facility with nearly triple the space.”

In addition to becoming a top destination for businesses, Del Vecchio notes Boca Raton’s restaurant scene has also expanded with many of these establishments located in the upscale dining complex known as Restaurant Row.

“Last year, acclaimed Chef Fabio Trabocchi opened Fiolina Pasta House [now Fiolina Ristorante] in Boca Raton,” she says. “This year, Mia Rosebud, the famous Chicago Italian restaurant and steakhouse, opened in Boca Raton, marking its first-ever restaurant in Florida.”

Del Vecchio says other emerging restaurants in Boca Raton include El Camino, the fourth restaurant in the South Florida chain, and Meat Market, an upscale steakhouse that opened in midtown last year.

Real Estate And Construction

In addition to companies relocating to the area, Boca Raton has been leading the way in commercial and residential construction. Del Vecchio says some of the city’s recent projects include:

•  The Glass House Boca Raton, a 10-story luxury condo complex located downtown. It is the first modern glass building in the city. Sales for the property’s 28 residences began in February.

•  Alina Residences, Phase 2, is a nine-acre luxury condo community on Mizner Boulevard featuring 122 residences in two nine-story buildings.

•  The Park at Broken Sound is a 700-acre commercial and residential hub on Broken Sound Boulevard Northwest.

•  Le Reve, a collection of modern townhomes located near Mizner Park.

•  Camino Square, a mixed-use development featuring 342 residential units on West Camino Real Boulevard.

•  Midtown Place at Boca Raton; located on North Military Trail, this is the first major Class A office built in South Palm Beach County in over a decade. Class A buildings represent the highest-quality buildings in their market and area.

•  Aletto at Sanborn Square on N.E. 1st Ave. is another Class A office space that will include a 10-story office building, complete with fine dining and a second six-story building with outdoor gardens, restaurants, a fitness center and a parking structure.

•  A mixed-use development project planned for the Boca Raton Innovation Campus (BRiC), a 1.7 million-square-foot office park and the largest single office complex in Florida. The project slated for the former headquarters and birthplace of the IBM personal computer will include 1,250 residential units, 125,000 square feet of retail space (including a 40,000 square-foot grocery store), a 55,000 square-foot entertainment venue, a medical office building and a 140-room hotel.

Angelo Bianco, managing partner of CP Group LLC, the company that owns BRiC, says the project would enhance the existing office space rather than replace it.

“What was once an isolated office complex is now a vibrant community destination,” Bianco says. “As we proceed with our mixed-use development of retail, residential, hospitality and additional offices surrounding the existing campus, we will continue to fuel the Boca Raton economy and provide additional housing, shopping, dining and workplace options.”

Technology And Innovation

As a modern tech campus, Bianco says BRiC has attracted clients such as Canon, Kroger and Modernizing Medicine.

“Our newest tenants seek quality office space and have selected BRiC due to its unparalleled premier amenities and reputation as the home for the most dynamic companies in the region,” Bianco says. “Today, it attracts leading firms in technology, life sciences and other vibrant and growing industries.”

Bianco says BRiC’s numerous amenities include hurricane-resistant infrastructure, multiple dining venues, a health and wellness center operated by Boca Raton Regional Hospital and collaborative spaces that support each company’s growth and innovation, allowing them to attract and retain quality talent.

The campus has also become a favored community destination, hosting events such as its annual Tree Lighting ceremony, Cocofest, TEDxBocaRaton and other educational, philanthropic and networking opportunities.

“These events not only provide enjoyment, but foster a sense of community for Boca Raton residents and the broader South Florida area,” Bianco says.

Arts, Culture And Community

Boca Raton has long been celebrated for its vibrant arts scene and diverse cultural offerings, featuring theatrical performances at The Wick and immersive exhibitions at the Boca Raton Museum of Art, among others. Now, the city is poised to enhance its cultural reputation with The Center for Arts & Innovation which is set to become a new venue for artistic and creative expression.

“Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano, The Center is expected to transform downtown Boca Raton into an arts and cultural hub,” says Jennifer Sullivan, senior vice president for the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County. “We’re very excited for the bright future of the center.”

Planned for the north end of Mizner Park next to the Boca Raton Museum of Art, the project is expected to begin construction in 2027.

Sullivan says Palm Beach County is known as Florida’s cultural capital, and in Boca Raton alone, the arts and cultural sector generates $25 million and supports more than 600 jobs.

“These numbers are expected to grow with The Center for Arts & Innovation, a project expected to generate more than

$1 billion in economic impact and support more than 12,000 jobs,” Sullivan says.

She notes that the city is home to many other events including The Boca International Jewish Film Festival, Southeast Florida’s largest international Jewish/Israeli film festival, held each spring; the annual Summer in the City concert series, offered free at Mizner Park Amphitheater and the dynamic changing exhibitions and permanent collections at the Boca Raton Museum of Art.

“The museum celebrates its 75th Anniversary in 2025 and will host a world-premiere exhibition called ‘Baroque Spain’ featuring over 50 master paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries on loan from the Hispanic Society of America,” Sullivan says. “Next year is also Boca Raton’s centennial, and the city is planning an array of special arts and culture events and initiatives throughout the year to celebrate its 100th birthday.”

Sullivan says Boca Raton’s universities also make significant contributions to the arts and culture landscape.

“Florida Atlantic University (FAU) has some fantastic arts and cultural offerings on its campus including their Theatre Lab, a wonderful regional theater entirely focused on new work,” she says. “The University Galleries host ongoing exhibitions in three galleries and the FAU Libraries’ Jaffe Center for Book Arts and its Fogelman Sports Museum are both fantastic hidden gems.”

Sullivan adds that Lynn University is home to many performances at its World Performing Arts Center and Amarnick-Goldstein Concert Hall and the Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center offers ongoing arts and cultural events.

Tourism And Hospitality

Boca Raton is more than just a great place to live, it’s also a popular tourist destination. Segarra says the city welcomed over 1.3 million visitors last year.

“Visitors come to Boca Raton to enjoy the beautiful beaches, spectacular weather, top-rated resorts and variety of offerings including inspiring arts and culture, delicious restaurants and award-winning chefs — and world-class shopping,” Segarra says. “Many visitors are from the northeast, [especially the] New York area and have family and friends in Boca Raton.”

While there haven’t been any recent hotel openings in Boca Raton, Segarra says there’s been a significant reinvestment with current hotels to modernize and improve the guest experience. Several hotel projects are in the pipeline for 2025 and beyond, including the Mandarin Oriental in the city’s downtown. The luxury resort will feature 163 guest rooms and 85 private residences.

“The Renaissance Boca Raton recently debuted a multimillion-dollar renovation in Midtown Boca Raton,” Segarra says, noting the 189-room property updated its guest rooms, conference center and public spaces while adding a new 30,000-square-foot pool deck with a waterfall backdrop and tiki bar.

“The Boca Raton is in the process of reimagining its iconic Beach Club hotel with a $100 million investment,” he adds.

The renovation is expected to be completed in December and will include a redesigned lobby with a new bar and cafe, an oceanside event space and a transformation of the hotel’s 207 guest rooms and suites.

For Boca Raton residents who enjoy playing tourist in their city, Segarra says two iconic destinations are Barrel of Monks Brewery and Gumbo Limbo (currently being renovated).

“Boca Ice, a premier ice skating and hockey center, is a great place for kids, family and friends to cool down while having fun,” he says. “The Osprey Point Golf Course is an award-winning public course inside South County Park and nearby is a beautiful outdoor park called Daggerwing Nature Center. The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum is a wonderful option to learn more about the community."

Health Care

To keep up with the city’s growing population, health care facilities in Boca Raton are also expanding.

Baptist Health’s Boca Raton Regional Hospital opened its new Toby and Leon Cooperman Medical Arts Pavilion to patients in March. The 64,000-square-foot facility is one of the cornerstones of the hospital’s $660 million construction and renovation program and includes an outpatient ambulatory surgery center. In April of this year, Baptist Health Orthopedics announced its opening at the Cooperman Medical Arts Pavilion.

The hospital also plans to expand its Marcus Neuroscience Institute and Christine E. Lynn Heart & Vascular Institute and add high-tech operating rooms and new clinical space for a wider range of specialties.

Education And Workforce Development

Boca Raton is home to top-rated public schools, nationally ranked private schools and four colleges. Additionally, the city has numerous programs designed to prepare students to enter the workforce.

With so many young families moving to Boca Raton, Del Vecchio says two new schools have opened since the pandemic. The first, Blue Lake Elementary, is a 95,000-square-foot facility that began offering classes in 2022. The second, Addison Mizner K-8 School, was rebuilt in 2022, transforming from an outdated school built in the 1960s to a modern two-story building that can house an additional 500 students.

Moving on to high school, students have an array of career academies they can choose from at West Boca Raton Community High School. These academies prepare students for careers in aerospace and aviation, computer science, culinary arts, pre-medicine and the performing arts.

At the college level, Segarra highlights FAU’s Hospitality and Tourism Management program as an exemplary training program that lays the foundation for Boca Raton’s future hospitality leaders.

Students have the option to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in various aspects of tourism and hospitality or enroll in nondegree certificate programs.

Offering training in areas such as food and beverage management, tourism planning and development, public relations and hospitality consulting, FAU’s programs are, according to Segarra, “helping to keep the local tourism industry robust.”

Del Vecchio notes that FAU also has an impressive athletic program with the Florida Atlantic Owls men’s basketball team traveling to New York last year to play in the NCAA tournament at Madison Square Garden.

“After making it to the Final Four last year, their enrollment numbers went through the roof because of the attention they received,” Del Vecchio says. “So, there are more young, smart college students coming to Boca, attending Florida Atlantic, Lynn University and Palm Beach State College.”

Green Initiatives And Sustainability

The city is also making plans for the future by implementing numerous sustainability efforts.

“Boca Raton has a sustainability action plan which we are in the process of updating,” says Lindsey Roland Nieratka, the city’s sustainability manager.

She says some of the city’s notable accomplishments include:

•  Joining the Cities Race to Zero, pledging a 63% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050. The city’s 2018 and 2021 greenhouse gas inventories show a 9.9% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions between those two years.

•  The city has completed a climate change vulnerability, an understanding of the risks to the city related to 12 specific climate threats and is in the process of finalizing a climate change adaptation action plan.

•  Boca Raton has conducted a tree canopy assessment and has been recognized as a tree city USA by the Arbor Day Foundation for 44 years.

“We continue to increase our tree canopy through partnerships with organizations such as community greening,” Roland Nieratka says. “We’re also partnering with the Institute for Regional Conservation to manage and restore beachfront dunes.”

Knowing a city’s residents and businesses also plays an important role in making a destination more sustainable.

“We look for opportunities to encourage and recognize businesses who make sustainability part of their culture,” Roland Nieratka says. “For example, we have our new Coastal Connection Green Business Program and are also offering incentives such as a rebate of their application fee to encourage local businesses to become bicycle-friendly.”

She says residents can stay updated on sustainability issues in the city, learn about volunteer opportunities and workshops and how to make their homes more sustainable by signing up for the city’s sustainability newsletter, which can be accessed through the city’s website, myboca.us.

As Boca Raton looks to the future, local officials see the city continuing to grow and expand on its entertainment, arts and culture offerings while also finalizing plans for a walkable downtown area featuring housing, dining, entertainment and shopping.

“From an economic development perspective, the City of Boca Raton’s future is bright,” says Del Vecchio. “With ongoing investment in infrastructure, an educated workforce and continued interest from companies relocating to Boca Raton, Boca is well positioned for success and will continue to thrive.”