Look Forward to the Challenges and Opportunities 2017 Will Bring
The Boca Raton Tribune
Published on 01.4.2017
A Glamorous Legacy Inspires an Exciting Future
It takes the perfect blend of colorful history, superb location, iconic architecture and an elite, sophisticated citizenry to create an international destination – a place where every moment is a celebration. This is the essence of Via Mizner, an exclusive, landmark address in the heart of a beloved community, perfectly crafted for world-class lifestyles.
Welcome Home to Bespoke Living at Its Best
As one of a select few locations worldwide with a residential property bearing the Mandarin Oriental name, The Residences is truly a signature address. Upon arriving at the private entrance lobby, the cascading water element and grand staircase only hint at the striking design and details that abound throughout. Incomparable sophistication is imbued into each of the eighty-nine, light-filled homes that celebrate the Boca Raton lifestyle with absolute comfort and complete security.
Internationally Recognized for Luxury and Service
For over fifty years, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group’s reputation for impeccable service, distinctive designs and renowned, holistic spas has been key to its rapid expansion across the globe. Today, the company operates thirty-two hotels and seven Residences at Mandarin Oriental in 23 countries and territories. A dedication to the highest levels of customer satisfaction year after year has garnered Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group a most enviable ranking as a recognized leader in worldwide luxury hospitality.
New Year’s Day has the same effect as a sorbet served as an intermezzo between courses to cleanse the palate. The new year of the Gregorian calendar gives us a moment to reflect on the year just past and to plan for the year just ahead.
Of course, the old Yiddish proverb, “man plans, God laughs,” comes to mind as we recognize the future is unpredictable and the best we do is plan and be prepared to make course corrections as external forces blow us in new directions.
On a national level, most expected the presidential campaign to come down to a contest pitting Hilary Clinton against Jeb Bush. So much for conventional wisdom! Even President Obama got it wrong when in mid-February he stated the electorate would never pick Donald J Trump to be president because “they recognize that being president is a serious job.”
And, even after Gary Johnson memorably quipped, “what’s Aleppo?” (a remark that took the wind from his campaign’s sails), the international community appeared totally impotent as it could do little more than watch the death and destruction of the city of Aleppo, home to the last pocket of resistance to Syrian dictator, Bashar Assad. With hundreds of thousands dead and millions on the run, Europe and the Middle East are left to provide refuge for those displaced.
Syria’s chaos incubated the rise of ISIS and cannot be ruled out as a contributing factor in the increased number of international terror attacks.
Turning our attention closer to home (where we can feel comfort in having direct influence over events), the news in 2016 was generally positive.
Unemployment in Florida fell below 5% in the 4th quarter of the year. Palm Beach County (and more particularly Boca Raton) continues to elevate its attractiveness as the venue of choice for companies seeking to relocate from the north with its educated workforce, low taxes and an unsurpassed standard of living with great schools, safe neighborhoods and unparalleled parks and year-round recreational opportunities.
There’s a lot to be excited about in our downtown as new residential units come online and the new Hyatt Park Boca opened for business. Next year, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Residences will further raise the city’s cache.
Over two decades ago, the decision to redevelop the downtown was approved by the voters. The plan was to create an urban core that would attract a critical mass of around 10,000 residents to make the downtown commercially viable.
Twenty-five years later we are seeing the befits of the redevelopment initiative as property values continue to climb, restaurants and small businesses in the downtown are prospering and cultural activities (live theatre, a downtown art museum, and more) are attracting the necessary audiences to make them viable.
The New Year offers challenges and opportunities as we look toward our future. Plans are under way to bring more recreational amenities online. We are also looking to redefine and update the meaning of public transportation.
With the new residents living in our downtown, we now need to promote the idea of leaving private passenger vehicles parked. This will require us to provide dependable choices (circulators, point-to-point transport within the downtown to supplement the services currently offered by the Downtowner and other alternatives to driving).
In the not too distant future, don’t be surprised to see autonomous vehicles on our streets. Near term this could be a driverless circulator.
Our city is seeking funding from FDOT to make this a reality in the near future. Within the decade, we will likely have the opportunity to buy a “subscription” to an autonomous service making vehicle ownership a less desirable alternative.
Sounds a bit like the Jetson’s but the future is coming faster than you might think.
In the meantime, let’s look forward to the challenges and opportunities that 2017 will bring.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Policy for achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising, marketing and sales program which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin. The sketches, renderings, pictures, photos, and designs depicted or described herein are conceptual in nature and are not to scale, are based upon preliminary development plans, may depict options, upgrades, features or views not available in all model types and are subject to change without notice in the manner provided in the applicable purchase agreement. No guarantees or representations whatsoever are made that any features, amenities or other facilities will be provided or, if provided, will be of the same type, size, location or nature as depicted or described herein. Any view from a unit or from other portions of the property may in the future be limited or eliminated by future development or forces of nature. Nearby golf courses, open spaces and other areas are not owned or operated by the Developer and there is no guarantee they will be operated or maintained for any particular purpose or in any particular manner. Many of the facilities within the project will not be located within the Residences. Certain facilities or services described herein will be provided by the hotel or club operators or others and may be subject to additional charges. Membership in the Club will be mandatory for unit owners and will require payment of additional dues, fees and costs. A substantial number of Club memberships will be available to non-residents. Business establishments may be sold to third parties, may be used for different purposes, and may change or discontinue operation at any time.
An offering is made only by the prospectus for the condominium and no statement should be relied upon if not made in the prospectus or in the applicable purchase agreement. Penn-Florida Realty Corporation is the Developer’s exclusive broker for this project. No solicitation, offer or sale of a unit in the Residences will be made in NY, NJ, or in any other jurisdiction in which such activity would be unlawful. Via Mizner Owner III, LLC (“Developer”) is a newly-formed entity, which is the sole offeror of the units being offered for sale as The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Boca Raton (“Residences”). Penn-Florida Capital Corp. and the other “Penn-Florida Companies” are affiliated with the Developer but are not the developer of the Residences. All statements and any representations herein shall be deemed to have been made solely by Developer. An affiliate of the Developer is developing the adjacent proposed Mandarin Oriental, Boca Raton hotel (“Hotel”) and the rental programs, if any, offered to unit owners in the Residences. Neither Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group nor any of its affiliates, nor their respective Officers, Directors, Agents or Employees (collectively, “MOHG”), are in any way owners, offerors, promoters, issuers or underwriters of, or responsible or liable for, or are making any representations or warranties with respect to, the Developer, construction of the Residences, any offering for sale of the real property constituting the Residences, or any increase or return on related investment. MOHG has not assumed and has no liability or responsibility for any financial statements, projections or other financial information contained in any sales and marketing materials, prospectus or similar written or oral statements relating to the Residences. Developer has the sole right and responsibility for the manner and means by which the Residences are sold, and for all representations in relation to the Residences. Developer has obtained rights to use the “Mandarin Oriental” name and trademarks (“MOHG Marks”) in connection with the Residences and the Hotel subject to the terms and conditions of non-exclusive license agreements which may be terminated at any time upon certain occurrences. The right to use the MOHG Marks in connection with the Residences is thus not guaranteed and no such right is included in the Residence being acquired by any purchaser. If any of the relevant agreements are terminated, or Mandarin Oriental ceases to manage the Hotel or Residences for any reason, use of the MOHG Marks in connection with the Hotel and Residences may be terminated at MOHG’s discretion.
The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Boca Raton (The Residences) are not developed, sponsored, owned, offered or sold by Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group or any affiliate thereof (MOHG), and MOHG makes no representation, warranty or guaranty of any kind regarding The Residences. The developers and owners of The Residences use the Mandarin Oriental name and trademarks subject to the terms of revocable licenses from MOHG which may expire or be terminated.
Photographs and artwork are lifestyle photographs and conceptual artist renderings.