WELCOME
The Moorings is the transformation of 535 acres of mangrove swamp turned into a thriving waterfront community of over 350 single family luxury homes and 850 condominiums. Purchased in the late 1950's by Julio Lobo, a Cuban sugar baron and father of Leonor Lobo de Gonzalez, the acreage was unusable in its natural state. It was later dredged on a massive scale, with the fill piled high in order to create fingers of land reforced by eight miles of sea wall. The Moorings was created and designed primarily as a boating community. The man cheifly responsible for the growth of The Moorings from 1971-1984 is Jorge Gonzalez, son of an old sherry-making family from Jerez-de-la-Frontera, Spain. In 1971 Jorge, his wife Leonor, and their son Boris moved from Madrid to Vero Beach, where Jorge assumed the directorship of The Moorings Development Company. When the family arrived, The Moorings was barely more than a handful of fingers of fill jutting out in the Indian River. Only The Billows on the ocean side and some scattered houses existed. Both Gonzalez' were initially dismayed at the barren, lunar-like landscape and at the many problems besetting The Moorings at the time. Both, however, took up the challenge with enthusiasm and vigor. South Passage, the first condominium developed by Jorge, was built in 1972. Another high mark was the construction of the par 64 golf course designed by Pete Dye some years later. Finally, in 1983, a fully operating clubhouse offering full, golf, tennis and social memberships was built. The Moorings Club was later dedicated to Leonor's father, Julio Lobo. The Gonzalez family also helped found Saint Edward's school, assisting in the acquisistion of the land adjacent to The Moorings. Boris attended Saint Edward's for several years, Leonor was Chairman of the English Department there, and both Jorge and Leonor served as school trustees at different times. Needless to say, The Moorings has greatly benefited from its proximity to Saint Edward's In 1984, the Gonzalez' sold The Moorings, but they have remained property owners and continue to live here. The Moorings, once a mangrove swamp, has indeed become a Garden of Eden. In 1976 the original Tee House was the office fo the Moorings Sales and Development Company until 1980 when the present Realty Sales building was opened. The Tee House was then moved to the empty 5 acre site that is now Sea Mist Court. Over the next several years there were various uses including the Moorings rental office, the Florida Federal Bank, construction offices for building the first Moorings Clubhouse, Art Exhibits, meetings of Directors of the Moorings Property Owners Association and similar community functions. In 1985 the Moorings Development Corporation donated the building to the Moorings Club who then sponsored a naming contest generating 125 entries from which the "Tee House" was selected. The winner was Betty Ketcham McConnell from West Passage who with her husband, John, was awarded a dinner for two. Over the years there have been many significant improvements in the Tee House. Overlooking the 18th Hole, it is now used to house The Moorings Club Library and the Oasis Spa.