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Model Community (Palm Beach Life) 1985Left: Old Port Cove, a luxury condominium community, Palm Beach County is located on 60 acres of land in the village's north end. Community Focus Below: Representative Tom Lewis and his wife, Marian, have lived in North Palm Beach for more than 20 years. No -'J, The Model Commu"nityM of '�H PUBLIC LIBRAriv NORTH P A1�1VI BEACH BY REBECCA PIIRTO/PHOTOS BY MARK KRAUSS The village of North Palm Beach is a contemporary success story. Not only does the village look like a city planner's model of the perfect American community of the 1950s and '60s it actually was. "It (North. Palm Beach) started off as a model town, a bedroom community for young families in the late '50s," said village historian Bill Young, who was one of the first residents elected to the village council in 1959.- Back 959.Back then, the population was barely 500, but Young said the developers, Herbert and Richard Ross, took into account the area's growth potential and designed a town that could easily accommodate the 18,500 residents it has today. "The planning was out of this world," said Young. "It was beautifully designed, beautifully laid out." Right: John and Bert LaCerda are both active in the community. Far right: Crystal Tree plaza was developed by Caruscan of Palm Beach Inc. Above: Rick Morgan is the director of administration for Old Port Cove Development. Below right: At the North Palm Beach Country Club golf pro Peter Finlayson addres- ses the ball as Steve Sandusky, club manager, looks on. ext Above: Ray Howland is the village manager of North Palm Beach. Today, North Palm Beach has sur- passed its original function as a bedroom community for up-and-coming Pratt & Whitney professionals. The population now includes retirees, established busi- nessmen and a new generation of young families. Most of the original young cou- ples are still there too, but in 1984 they are more affluent, their children have grown up and they enjoy a wider variety of activities from boating to taking in a round of golf at one of the several courses in the area to dining at one of the village's many fine restaurants. North Palm Beach is small as far as actual land area: roughly four miles from the north border at PGA Boulevard to Northlake Boulevard. Besides four vil- lage parks and John D. MacArthur State Park, a strip of land between the ocean and Lake Worth where dunes and man- groves are protected by state law, most of the land in the village has been devel- oped. "The village is filled from a real estate standpoint," said village manager Ray Howland. Most of the new building has been on the village's north end. Old Port Cove was started in 1970 by E. Llwyd Eccles - (Continued on page 176) Below: Al Moore is the vice mayor of North Palm Beach. His wife, Nancy Moore, works as a librarian. Left: Laura and Above: Lily Harold DeOrlow, com- and Stanley Specker, madore of the Old president of Port Cove Yacht the Old Port Cove Club. property owner's association. Left: Carole Kaloger- opoulos is the head tennis pro at the North Palm Beach Country Club. NUH I H F'ALIVI DC/1I,,n (Continued from page 104) tone Jr. and finished two years ago by Old Port Cove Developments Limited. This luxury condominium community, situated on 60 acres of land surrounded by water on three sides, consists of eight residential towers ranging from 12 to 22 stories high, an office complex, a group of low-rise residences, a yacht club, three marinas capable of docking 300 yachts, and tennis and swimming facili- ties. The community's 1,053 units sell from $300,00 to $500,000. Across U.S. 1 from Old Port Cove is Crystal Tree Plaza, an open-air mall with space for 47 shops and restaurants. Developed by Caruscan of Palm Beach Inc., Crystal Tree is patterned after Palm Beach's Esplanade, featuring warm beige stucco facades and red tile roofs. Although the year-old plaza still has 13 vacancies, business is not suffer- ing. "This is a fabulous market," en- thused Roche-Bobois manager Harry Ardman. "People up here are crying out for quality and that's what we offer unique European furniture that never goes out of style. We always do very, very well." The Winter Club featured an exclusive clubhouse and 18 -hole golf course for Singer Island visitors. The once thriving club was torn down recently when village residents decided not to restore it. Just north of the village limits are Twelve Oaks and Lost Tree Village, high -security, ultra -plush, single-family unit communities. There has been some discussion about the village annexing these two areas. Village officials are in favor of it because of the additional tax SPRING '85 New York Concepts Men's Apparel "A Step Ahead in Men's Fashions" TOWER AND SHOPPES AT THE SANCTUARY 4400 N. Federal Highway. Boca Raton, Florida (305) 395-0791 (305) 395-0837 base it will offer and the residents of these communities, for the most part, are against it. Golf great Jack Nicklaus is one of Lost Tree Village's residents. His com- pany, Golden Bear Enterprises, is in the process of developing an office complex CD G)� r • v< Z CD �� (D 182 N.E. 5th Ave. N Delray Beach � . Florida 33444 3 � m CD 3 N By Appointment Only: Cn57o � (305) 276-2727 585-3601 just north of the Oak Brook Square Mall. It is the northern section of North Palm Beach that has attracted the high- est concentration of new residents, both year-round and seasonal. They decide to settle in the area for reasons including the quality of life and the easy access to shopping and recreational facilities. "When we decided to retire, we looked around Florida for four and one- half years and the place that seemed to suit us the best was Old Port Cove," said Harold DeOrlow, retired executive of Manufacturers National Bank of De- troit. DeOrlow and his wife, Laura, moved from Bloomfield Hills, Mich. about four years ago. A former commo- dore at the Grosse Point Yacht Club, DeOrlow has just been appointed com- modore of the Old Port Cove Yacht Club. "We definitely made the right deci- sion," DeOrlow said. "Being sailing peo- ple we find it's wonderful having the yacht club right across the street. We used to have to drive 40 miles to get to the water, now all we do is take a little walk. "Plus, we really like the Palm Beach area. We enjoy going down to Worth Avenue, having lunch and doing some shopping," DeOrlow continued. "Flori- da has something for everyone, but you have to look for it. We found it here." Stanley and Lily Specker moved to Marina Tower in Old Port Cove from Chevy Chase, Md. almost seven years ago. A retired CIA operative, Specker is now president of the Old Port Cove. Property Owners' Association. "Being overseas most of my life, I even considered living there," Specker explained, "but nothing compares to this. My wife and I are avid golfers. Here we're literally surrounded by excellent courses. A lady can walk through here at night without fear, and it's convenient to all the nicest shops. If it sounds idyllic, it is that's why we moved here." The exceptional quality of life in North Palm Beach is no accident. It is the result of a history of careful planning and some lucky spins of the wheel of fortune. In 1919 a wealthy Massachusetts restaurateur named Harry Kelsey began buying large tracts of Florida land. Eventually he held the deed to 100,000 acres comprising what is now North Palm Beach, Lake Park and Palm Beach Gardens. Paris Singer, a contemporary C N Ll ANTIQUES INC. Specializing in period furniture from Europe Bronzes, clocks, Silver, Jewelry, and Objects D'Ar Regency Mahogany Secretaire Bookcase c. 1820 420C CLEMATIS ST. WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33401 659-5154 of Kelsey's and owner of the Evergtacaes Club in Palm Beach, was building a new hotel on what is now Singer Island. Sing- er persuaded Kelsey to build an 18 -hole golf course and a clubhouse for the use of his hotel guests. The Winter Club was completed in 1926. From that time until the winds of the big hurricane that devastated Flori- da in 1928, the Winter Club thrived. One of the early observers, Kelsey's engineer Charles Branch, now 91 and still a resi- dent of the area, describes the parties at the opulent club where the elite dined sumptuously and imbibed liquor that was specially smuggled in. Kelsey and Singer left Florida much poorer men after the hurricane. Land was abandoned and taxes went unpaid. Sir Harry Oakes, a native of Maine who made his fortune in Canadian gold min- ing, saw a good thing and started buying Palm Beach County land for the price of delinquent taxes, a fraction of the actual value. Oakes moved his family into the Winter Club, where they resided until Oakes moved to the Bahamas. By that time, the once -grand club and greens were sadly deteriorated. The Winter Club was finally torn down last Septem- ber, after more than a decade of debate A Weather Station Here's a Seiko clock that's a unique Weather Station too. Imagine having a clock with its own hydrometer, thermometer and barome- ter, all in a handsome rosewood finish case with brass accents. It's as functional as it is good looking. Of course, there's Seiko Quartz accuracy and battery operation for cordless convenience. This is just one of the many great Seiko Quartz clocks in our collection. Come see them all today. $175.00 Michael's JEWELERS MURRAY SPERBER 327 CLEMATIS STREET WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA 33401 305-655-8010 C7 rM cn 0MENEM z rM ;a n O n ;rs- V) over whether to restore or raze the club ended in the majority of village residents opting for the less costly option. Oakes, often described as an un- scrupulous character with many ene- mies, met a violent end in 1943. He was bludgeoned to death while he slept, doused with gasoline and set afire by a murderer who was never apprehended. In 1956, as soon as stipulations in Oakes' estate allowed his company, Tes- dem Inc. to put the property up for sale, John D. MacArthur, billionaire founder of Chicago's Bankers Life and Casualty, jumped on the deal. MacArthur, who went from rags to riches in the '40s by mass -marketing his insurance through the mails, went on to become one of northern Palm Beach County's most powerful and controversial resi- dents. He would wheel and deal from the coffee shop in the Colonnades Beach Hotel, which he owned. Though he rou- tinely moved millions of dollars with just a phone call, his demeanor and dress were such that unknowing guests often mistook him for the hotel handyman or an elderly beach bum. Just before Pratt & Whitney opened its offices and plants on Beeline Highway, MacArthur allowed a partner- ship including the Rosses, John Schwenke and Jay White to buy the land in North Palm Beach. By the time the Rosses joined the partnership, they had already built 5,000 homes in West Palm Beach between 1950 and 1956. Because of their experience, the Rosses added several amenities to the community that were unusual at the time: five-foot wide sidewalks, 42 -inch culverts to eliminate standing water in even the heaviest rains and miles of canals with concrete bulk - heading to multiply the amount of prime waterfront property. "The secret to successful develop- ment is integrity," explained John (Jack) Schwenke, who handled the Rosses' financial affairs. Although Schwenke still maintains an office and resides in the village, he spends much of his time competing in and winning bridge tournaments. "By and large, our efforts worked out pretty well," he said. "We had a deep interest in the people who we were sell- ing homes to. That's the difference be- tween real integrity and the developers who take shortcuts." With the addition of Pratt & Whit- ney to the area's job market, the success of the Rosses' venture was practically guaranteed. Young professionals, man- agers, engineers and technicians settled their families in the Rosses' model com- Eating Out In North Palm Beach U.S. 1, which goes straight through the heart of North Palm Beach, could also be called restaurant row for the wide variety of dining it offers. BENTLEY's, 730 U. S. Highway 1, is known for its veal and prime rib entrees and daily chef's specials. A Sunday brunch for $9.95 is available from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and includes Bloody Marys, Whiskey Sours and champagne. 842-6831. BISTRO GAVROCHE, 1201 U.S. Highway 1 in the Crystal Tree Plaza offers fine French cuisine in an ele- gant atmosphere. 626-5502. FISHERMAN'S CAFE, 661 U.S. Highway 1, features seafood specials caught fresh daily, an extensive sea- food and raw bar menu in an atmo- sphere modeled after a Key West Vic- torian mansion complete with gingerbread trim. 848-9600. HONG KONG ISLAND, 1000 U.S. Highway 1, offers an extensive menu including Cantonese, Mandarin, Sze- chuan specialties and one -of -a -kind exotic cocktails in a tasteful oriental atmosphere. 622-3223. J.C. HILLARY'S, 200 Yacht Club Drive, specializes in traditional American fare, from Texas beef to Maine lobsters. The decor is early American with lots of heavy dark wood and cut glass. 626-6200. T.G.I. FRIDAY'S, 1201 U.S. Highway 1, has a menu of more than 200 items ranging from Mexican spe- cialties to pasta to beef, seafood and poultry dishes. The decor is Gay '90s. 622-7860. Marian and Tom Lewis and their three children. . Lewis started as a Pratt & Whitney technician and soon worked his way up to a management position. After serving as the mayor of North Palm Beach from 1964 to 1971, Lewis moved up to the state house, then to the state senate. Lewis, a Republican, now serves as rep- resentative of the nine counties of Flori- da's District 12 in the United States Congress. "When we first moved here in 1960, North Palm Beach was just a little coun- try town," remembered Mrs. Lewis, who has operated a successful real estate ;-n +hn v;llnara e;nrP 1 CIA9 "N orthlake Boulevard was not there at all and U.S. 1 was only a two lane highway. We really thought we lived in the country. "There has been a tremendous amount of growth here, but overall, I think it has been fairly well-controlled," added Mrs. Lewis, who was the first woman president of the Northern Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce. North Palm Beach has successfully retained its model town feeling not only because of the planners' foresight, but because successive village officials have adhered to the Rosses' original plan and have adopted a series of building codes and ordinances to protect both the safe- ty of the residents and the appearance of the community. For instance, buildings in most zones must be below a certain height and all residential areas must have sidewalks and swales; city ordinances even require that grass be kept clipped at less than 15 inches. "We feel we have the best commu- nity around," said village mayor Dr. V.A. Marks, an obstetrician. "And we've adopted a set of strict regulations to guarantee that everything keeps looking nice." "A lot of people came here original- ly because they saw how neat and clean it is," agreed village manager Ray How- land. "That's why it's one of our top priorities to see that it stays that way. There's a lot of personal pride here. Ev- eryone takes good care of their proper- ty.» It's a little like the old chicken and the egg riddle. Did North Palm Beach residents develop pride in their commu- nity because it looks good, or does it look good because of their pride? Whatever the answer, community spirit is appar- ent. North Palm Beach was the first mu- nicipality in Florida to receive the Na- tional Association of Home Builders Award. In the early 1960s, the village arranged to purchase the North Palm Beach Country Club. The village is now one of the few municipalities with a city - owned club. North Palm Beach also has a very active garden club whose 37 mem- bers meet monthly to plan new ways to beautify the village. And then there's the library. The North Palm Beach Library, extremely well -stocked for such a small village, came into being when a group of univer- sity women decided that a village with such a large constituency of educated professionals must have a library. The first facility was set up in the old locker room of the Winter Club in 1962. By the Philadelphia Bulletin as a foreign correspondent during the turbulent ear- ly '40s. By the time he decided to leave journalism for public relations, his work had taken him to 52 foreign countries. In 1956-57, LaCerda served as president of the prestigious Poor Richard Club of Philadelphia, one of the oldest and most respected advertising and public rela- tions organizations in the country. In the early 1960s, just before he and Bert retired, LaCerda had an oppor- tunity to find out first-hand whether all the stories about John D. MacArthur were true. He had met MacArthur while on assignment for the Saturday Euening Post and MacArthur immediately hired him to help publicize his newest project Palm Beach Gardens. One of LaCerda's favorite MacAr- thur stories concerns a meeting with "the Skipper," who had flown up on a state plane with then Florida governor Ferris Bryant, to a governors' conven- tion outside Hershey, Pa. Since he had devoted a good part of the evening to talking, MacArthur found little food left by the time he reached the buffet. Although LaCerda suggested taking advantage of one of the excellent Penn- sylvania Dutch restaurants in the area, MacArthur insisted on having things his way and soon LaCerda, a young golf pro named Joe Capello, MacArthur and his wife Catherine were ordering hamburg- ers in one of MacArthur's favorite eating establishments, a diner. "I knew what would happen when the check came. It was $2 and sure enough, MacArthur just sat there look- ing at it, so Joe Capello put down two dollars and two quarters. "MacArthur says, `What's that forT and Capello says, `the tip.' MacArthur leans over and says, `Young man, you'll never get rich by throwing money away.' So then he picked up one of the quarters, put it in his pocket and got up to leave. "As the rest of us are following him out, Mrs. MacArthur whispers to Ca- pello, `Don't mind him son, he just likes people to think he's eccentric.' " LaCerda, a gifted storyteller, is working on a book about MacArthur, the man he calls The Skipper. "He was a caustic, tightfisted but lovable robber baron of our times ... but I loved him." And so, from Harry Kelsey to Sir Harry Oakes to John MacArthur to the Rosses to modern development firms such as Caruscan and Old Port Cove Management Limited, North Palm john mitchell ff" ow*44� John Mitchell Interiors bar Ingham palm beech 155 worth avenue, palm beach, B33 -B207 Boca raton, 392-0669 Pt-.\/ of inrPrior desioners Beach has grown and prospered. What used to be swamp and farmland is nowt a thriving community which has somehow managed to retain all of the qualitiets that are most valued in any residential community stability, security, plenti ful services, high quality recreation and pleasant surroundings. "We've had the privilege of growing ourselves with the other young parents here and watching our children grow with their children," said Congressman Lewis. "And now we're seeing their chil- dren's children growing as well." Although the Lewises must now di- vide their time between their house in Arlington, Va. near the Capitol and one in Twelve Oaks, they make a special point of coming home to Florida nearly every weekend and between Congressio- nal sessions. "Our roots are still here," explained Lewis, "just like so many of the other families that originated here. This area has been very good to all of us. In my judgment North Palm Beach is one of the nicest, if not the nicest areas in Florida to live and raise a family." ❑ Rebecca Piirto is a free-lance writer who Hues in Coral Gables. Importers of Chinese Arts & Crafts, jade & Ivory Carvings, Fine Porcelain & Rosewood Furniture. C- hina Aes, Inc e 1540 N. Federal Hwy., Pompano Beach, FL 33062 (305) 943-2280 Dealers & Interior Decorators Welcome