Letter From the Editor: Unlocking the Gates
November 1, 2005
This issue of The Robb Report Collection is dedicated to the most coveted of neighborhoods: the gated community. Within, we explore issues—both aesthetic and esoteric—that swirl around the century-old dilemma: to gate or not to gate?
While investigating the current state of gated communities (Gilded Gates), writer Lisa Selin Davis found that barrier walls and fences are no longer the sole property of the affluent and are actually being erected everywhere, encircling homeowners in almost every economic bracket. From this reality emerges a key question: If a significant portion of the population can now afford to live behind gates, is the cachet of the gated community diminished?
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A graceful fountain ascends from within the 1,697 acres of verdant land and
custom mansions at the master-planned Mediterra in Naples, Fla. (Click image to enlarge.)The answer is nebulous. As is the case with other luxury-lifestyle tangibles—yachts, cars, jewelry—not all gated communities are created equal. Far from it, in fact. A guarded wall may provide a sense of security, but it no longer denotes that what lies behind it is exemplary of the well-lived life. Still, gated communities such as Beverly Hills’ Beverly Park and Conyers Farm in Greenwich, Conn.—which are home to a galaxy of film stars and high-powered CEOs—remain touchstones of the American luxury lifestyle; and new gated communities like Georgia’s Hampton Island and Monterra of Monterey, Calif., are not only raising the bar on thoughtful community planning and architecture, they are also literally breaking down barriers by utilizing trees and unseen security systems in place of traditional fences and walls.
Also in this issue, we invite you to tour four of the most handsome golf clubhouses in the country (House Proud); each stands as a testament to timeless, creative design and the gracious pleasures synonymous with après golf. This month’s Guide profiles Miami (The Guide: Miami); the red-hot city has become one of the world’s most fascinating design and architecture Meccas, and it has the faces and places to prove it. Whether you are in the market for one of Miami’s brand-new, architecturally notable high-rises (essentially vertical gated communities) or are contemplating downsizing into a gated golf community, we hope this issue will help you cover all of your bases—before you can even get around to identifying them.
Emili Vesilind, Senior Editor
Collection@robbreport.com
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