Oakland Park is known as "The City on the Move," in ways outsiders might not realize. Astronaut Brent Jett graduated from Northeast High School here and flew on three space shuttle missions. No one knew sleepy Oakland Park, original home of Porky's, would become - or remain - such a desirable place to live.
Drive through this neighborhood and enjoy some of Florida's best tropical landscape designs by award winning landscape designer, Luis Llenza.
This perennial perfect place to live is always evolving. On the drawing board are blueprints for a new downtown that will have pedestrian-friendly streets, shops, and parks. New townhomes for sale and condominium complexes are also in Oakland Park's future. URBN Village brings modernized lifestyle amenity-rich living at price-points perfect for buyers at every stage of live - even the work-from-home community. This project will be buttressed by the finest urban planning done by Oakland Park which includes a new 8 story library on NE 38th Street, water parks, pickel ball gamesm a new fire station, and upgraded health and fitness areas surrounding the areas between NE 5 & 6 Avenue, and NE 35 – N# 39th Streets.
Surrounding neighborhoods including North Andrews Gardens and Twin Lakes have been annexed to make Oakland Park's population climb to more than 42,000 residents. Oakland Park residents are achieving results other Ft. Lauderdale communities are still planning for.
THE CITY ON THE MOVE
Five residents living in the eastern area of Oakland Park, now part of The Corals of Oakland Park, banded together to create a recognized Homeowner's Association. And thus, COPHA was formed.
The area includes residential homes from Oakland Park Boulevard to Commercial Boulevard, and from Federal Highway to Dixie Highway. Recently an area south of Oakland Park Boulevard opted to be included, and so it joined the COPHA ranks. Other areas of Oakland Park emulate this active community association.
Oakland Park neighborhoods include transplants from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, New Jersey, and more lately, an influx of folks from New York fleeing high-tax, high density, and colder winter residency for more tropical living.
Many residents have added their own touch-ups to enhance what literally were concrete block houses built two or more generations ago. Individual homeowners added more personality to their residences by tiling floors, painting exterior walls, rebuilding kitchens and bathrooms, and installing swimming pools. It's a butterfly-friendly community with woods that act as a buffer to nearby traffic. Condominiums started to appear in the 1960s, helping the area gain population. Rentals are available here, as are homes and real estate for sale.
What attracted transplants to this part of South Florida include its schools, proximity to shopping and houses of worship, and Oakland Park's Tennis Center and Fitness Court. The convenience of having six state-of-the-art clay courts attracts many residents. The courts are well maintained and attract talented players of every skill.
Another city gem is the Richard E. Guisti Heart Par Course. This park with a fitness trail tucked into a grove of slash pine trees. The fitness trail is one-mile with 20 fitness stations. Fitness enthusiasts can be found using the trail every day from early morning to late at night.
Nearby elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as several houses of worship, round out this truly family-friendly city.
Once referred to by residents as being "made of disparate areas," Oakland Park is fast becoming one of the most desirable growing communities in South Florida.
Drive through this neighborhood and enjoy some of Florida's best tropical landscape designs by award-winning landscape designer, Luis Llenza.
Many of the homes built in the late '40s and early '50s are approximately 1,000 to 1,700 square feet. Newer, more recently built homes have as much as 3,000 square feet under air. Many older homes have been updated with new kitchens, swimming pools and other updates, according to Mr. Vonder Meulen.