Boca Raton, along with the rest of South Florida, is a good example of suburban sprawl at its worst. Basically, 75% of the development in this area has occured in the past two or three decades. The native vegetation of South Florida is thick, impassable mangrove swamp. The climate is unforgivingly hot and humid all year round. As a result, this area was more or less uninhabited before 1950 or so. (Some coastal areas might have been inhabited, but the interior by and large was devoid of human inhabitation. It still is, to some extent. See Everglades National Park).

So, when air conditioning and and clear-cutting became the primary modus operandi for developing land, South Florida was a primary target. It had a tropical climate, and plenty of unused land, provided someone was willing to brave the mosquitoes and bulldoze the mangroves. As a result, the whole interior area in Boca Raton and the surrounding communities is full of typical late 20th century architecture. If you visit older areas of the country, like New England and the Mid-Atlantic states, the buildings are very close together. The streets curve and bend where necessary. In general, space is saved wherever possible, because there just isn't a lot of room in that area.

The Boca Raton area is just the opposite. Every street is straight as an arrow, and every street is also a 6-lane divided-with-a-median deal, and they all intersect one another at perfect 90° angles. Everything is massively spaced out. There are several hundred feet of lawn or landscaping between every building. Coincidentally, all the facilities in the area tend to clump together - all the grocery stores together, all the restaurants together, all the auto dealerships together, all the walled retirement communities together and so on. Getting from your location to any necessary amenity requires a lengthy drive.


I don't live in this area, but I've visited it numerous times while visiting my grandparents, who do live there. So I almost think I know what I'm talking about.