The Residences at Mandarin Oriental

Ultra-exclusive Condominiums
Boca Raton, Florida

August 24, 2016

Hello. Joel Greene here from Condo Hotel Center.

Not far from where I live is the city of Boca Raton, or “Boca” as the locals call it. It’s in Palm Beach County and is known for its beautiful beaches, championship golf courses and upscale shopping.

What it also has is a distinctive architectural style called Mediterranean Revival created by the architect Addison Mizner in the 1920s. The signature look is best characterized by white stucco buildings, wrought-iron balconies and accessories, and terra cotta, barrel-tile roofs.

But Mizner was more than an architect. He was an entrepreneur. In 1925 he purchased more than 1,500 acres in Boca, including two miles of beach. His dream was to create “the world’s most architecturally beautiful playground” with miles of landscaped streets, golf courses, elegant shopping areas and luxurious mansions for the crème de la crème of world society. Canals lined with palm trees would create a tropical Venice.

An eccentric local fixture, Mizner could often be seen walking around town with his pet monkey, Johnnie Brown, on one shoulder and a parrot on the other.

At first, it looked like Mizner and his Boca development would be enormously successful.  But by 1926 the Florida land boom was going bust.  Mizner’s plans for the perfect Venetian-style town were overly-ambitious and ill-timed.

The company went bankrupt in the late 1920s, shortly before the Great Crash.  Addison Mizner died a pauper.

Ironically though, in recent decades, much of Mizner’s original vision has been realized.  His designs left an indelible mark on South Florida and continue to influence modern-day architecture.

The featured property I have for you today is being built in Addison’s Mediterranean Revival architectural style and even bears Mizner’s name.  Read on for details about the development, and the pet monkey too.

Via Mizner will be a mixed-use development with The Residences at Mandarin Oriental. a 5-star hotel, shops and restaurants.

Via Mizner

Via Mizner will be a high-end, mixed-use property consisting of shops, restaurants and a luxury hotel tower called Mandarin Oriental, Boca Raton.  It will be the city’s sole five-star hotel and South Florida’s second Mandarin Oriental; the first one opened in Miami in late 2000.

In an adjacent tower connected to the hotel by a sky bridge, will be The Residences at Mandarin Oriental.  And that is what’s currently for sale – 86 luxurious residences.

The Residences at Mandarin Oriental

The Residences will sit atop The Shoppes at Via Mizner, approximately 65,000 square feet of upscale shopping, dining and specialized services on the first four floors.

The 86 luxurious residences will sit above The Shoppes at Via Mizner.

Owners of these residences will enjoy the following features:

• Preferred access to the hotel restaurants and bars
• Preferred access to The Spa at Mandarin Oriental
• Resident-only lounges and gathering areas
• Rooftop pool with private ocean-view cabanas
• Fitness center with private instructors
• Outdoor garden and relaxation area
• Lobby-level wine cellar with private tasting room
• In-residence dining with access to hotel catering
• Private chef for dinner parties
• Business center and meeting room
•  24-hour concierge, doorman, valet & security

Via Mizner is designed in the Mediterranean Revival style developed by Addison Mizner.

Residents will also get membership privileges to Via Mizner Golf and City Club.  The golf course, located about three miles from the property, is an existing 18-hole course that will be completely redone as a new course by an unnamed as of yet “legendary golf course designer.”  The club will also have a pool, tennis courts, dining and a club house.

Mediterranean Revival Architecture

The developer for the Via Mizner mixed-use project is Penn-Florida Cos. of Boca Raton, a developer of high-profile real estate for almost 30 years.

The property will be managed by Mandarin Oriental, a global brand known for excellent service, innovative dining, holistic spas and creative design.

The architect for the property is SB Architects of San Francisco, which says its design will feature the charm and Spanish-style splendor associated with Boca’s Mediterranean Revival architectural heritage founded by Addison Mizner.

The well-respected Mandarin Oriental brand will manage Via Mizner.

Spacious Floor Plans & Terraces

The individual condos will be delivered finished and designer ready, with several designer furniture packages available if desired.  The residences will feature:

• Open floor plans with expansive living areas
• Generous terraces and summer kitchens
• Access to Mandarin Hotel via sky bridge
• Private elevator foyers for each residence
• Automated “smart home technology” ready
• Gourmet kitchens with European cabinetry
• Wolf, Sub-Zero or comparable brand appliances
• Choice of stone or wood flooring
• High-end countertop finishes

Optional designer furniture packages, similar to the one above, are available to buyers of the residences.

The Residences at Mandarin Oriental will also offer residents the following services for a fee:

• Daily housekeeping
• Butler
• Home care and maintenance
• Pool service
• In-room massage
• House cars for use around Boca Raton
• Dog walking

The Residences at Mandarin Oriental can be reserved now at first-tier prices.

Pre-construction Pricing

Construction will begin on Via Mizner by the end of this year.  It should be complete by the end of 2018, although the residences can be reserved at pre-construction prices now.

Pictured, with the Residences at Mandarin Oriental, upper left, are the Mandarin Oriental Boca Raton, Via Mizner City Club and The Shoppes Via Mizner.

The residences come with one to five bedrooms and range in size from 1,425 sq. ft. all the way up to an astounding 8,800 sq. ft. for the penthouse units. They will offer panoramic golf, ocean and city views. Prices start in the high $1 millions and go up to the low $5 millions.

Want to know more? I have plenty of details in my data sheet, which you can obtain by completing the short form at the link below:

Request The Residences at Mandarin Oriental data sheet here.

Monkey Business

If you recall, I started this Property Alert by telling you about Addison Mizner, the eccentric architect with the vision for Boca Raton and a pet monkey named Johnnie Brown.

Johnnie Brown died in 1927, six years before Mizner.  In fact, his death occurred on the same day Mizner learned his Boca Raton development company was going into bankruptcy.

Mizner said he was much more upset about losing Johnnie Brown than he was about the bankruptcy.  At the time, he was living in Palm Beach.  Palm Beach had a law that you could not be buried, nor could you bury a pet, on the island.

Mizner was heartbroken.  He couldn’t bear the thought of being apart from his long-time furry friend.  So he used his money and influence to be granted special permission to bury Johnnie Brown next to his home in what is now the only marked burial site on the entire island of Palm Beach.

Lest you think I’m making this up, you can visit the tombstone for yourself. It lies in what is now a restaurant courtyard, just steps away from the expensive shops of Worth Avenue. It reads: “Johnnie Brown, The Human Monkey, died April 30, 1927.”

As always, thank you for your interest in the properties (and primates) I feature. Once again, you can get The Residences at Mandarin Oriental data sheet here.

Have a great day!