In 1958, the property originally opened as the Jacaranda. Named after sub-tropical trees (still on property) planted because of their attractive and long-lasting pale indigo flowers.
The resort lifestyle was made popular by the nearby (now demolished) Safari resort and the iconic Valley Ho, still a neighborhood favorite. The Palms and other garden properties were built to further this lifestyle trend. 30-some years later, around 1990, the property was rezoned and converted to condominiums.
Fast forward to today where the only major changes are the lack of shuffleboard, polyester, beehives and good ol Detroit steel parked out front. The units where the resort manager, maids and housekeeping stayed and worked are still here, but have since been converted to condos.
Now if we could figure out how to bring the maids back – that’d certainly be an amenity welcomed back to the Palms!