Thirty years ago the Parklander™ magazine came to life, serving the communities of Parkland and Coral Springs. During that period, many in the community have contributed to help it evolve. The staff at the Parklander™ will be profiling local residents in this and upcoming issues, to reflect on the community’s past, present, and what is to come. Just like how the community has grown and thrived, it is our belief that together, we can overcome the current health crisis, and come out stronger still.
Looking back at Volume 1 Issue 1 of the Parklander™, we found some familiar faces, including Realtor Grace Noethen, one of our original advertisers. At the time, she was already a Multi-Million Dollar Club member, and acknowledged “Sales Person of the Year”. Having specialized in luxury and waterfront properties of Parkland, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Highland Beach, and Fort Lauderdale, she has accumulated many awards for being the leading real estate agent in the area.
Grace did a socially distanced telephone interview with us over the phone recently.
She started her career in New Jersey before specializing in the Palm Beach and Broward area in 1985. She is fluent in Italian and Spanish, having been born in Sicily and spending her early years in Argentina. Her family moved to the U.S. in 1958. Those who know her call her knowledgeable and patient. Many of her clients have said Grace treats them with compassion and makes them feel like part of her family.
For Grace, her honesty, compassion, and taking care of her clients is always the forefront of who she is, not just as a Realtor. She is always looking to help, so when she was approached to support a new magazine in Parkland in 1991, she was more than happy to.
Her compassion and experience have helped many local residents find homes in the area. Parkland grew from around 1,900 people when she started to well over 32,000 now. Many came to Parkland seeking the same relaxed and rural lifestyle that attracted earlier residents.
Grace remembers the decision to realign Holmberg Road to a southern bend, that all residents are now familiar with, to go around the equestrian center. This was a controversial topic for years in the early 90s, as the city adapted to new developments while striving to protect horse riders from increased traffic.
The decision to realign Holmberg shaped the development of Parkland. City Commissioner Ken Cutler
shared news articles and city council minutes from the early 90s, showing a community struggling to balance the interest of developers, residents, and environmental agencies.
Over the course of years and multiple debates, re-alignment was approved and completed.
Just like that one event shaped the future of Parkland, so has Grace’s efforts to match up people to the right home shaped lives and futures. Drawing upon her knowledge of the area, and her passion for real estate, she has been able to both buy and sell many homes in the area, becoming a “legend” in the industry. Her warm and welcoming personality is the gateway many prospective residents walked through to settle in Parkland. Her ability to find the right home for prospective buyers is confirmed by one of her former clients who writes to her regularly, thanking her for their Parkland home and neighbors.
Parkland today still oozes the charm of its more rural days. As we spend weeks in our homes, it’s good to reflect how blessed we are to live in such a friendly community. To be able to enjoy our farmers’ markets, our drive-in movies, and the equestrian center, is a wonderful gift, and we should all work toward ensuring the character of Parkland stays welcoming for another 30 years.