Plantation was built on a single man’s vision. In 1931, Frederick C. Peters — a millionaire scion of a St. Louis shoe empire — escaped the Missouri winter and bought 10,000 acres of vacant land along State Road 441 for $250,000. He retained architect Russell Pancoast to design a master plan where no house looked alike and two-thirds of the one-acre lots were dedicated to vegetable gardens and fruit trees. The city grew from that plan — outward, in phases, over seventy years.
The locks on your door in Plantation depend on which phase of that plan your neighborhood belongs to. This page covers the four phases of Plantation’s development — the original Peters plan, the Jacaranda era, the Plantation Acres annexation, and the modern Midtown District — and what locks you’re likely to have in each.
Phase 1: The Peters Plan (1940s-1950s)
Frederick Peters’ first homes were built in 1947 on East Acre Drive, under the name Plantation Homes Inc. The development’s name came from the Everglades Plantation Company, a sugar-cane grower that had operated in the area in the early 1900s. Robert Law Weed designed the first homes.
The city was incorporated in 1953. The early homes were ranch-style — 3 or 4 bedrooms, 2,500 to 3,500 square feet on large lots. The Peters plan called for one-acre lots, no two houses alike, and extensive green space.
Historic Old Plantation (East Acre Drive area)
The oldest residential section. Homes built from 1948 onward, on the original Peters parcels. The neighborhood has a mix of eras — original 1940s-1950s ranch homes alongside later infill construction through the 2000s. Lot sizes are generous. The architecture is varied — Peters’ “no two houses alike” mandate created a streetscape unlike the tract developments that came later.
Locks you’ll find in Phase 1: Post-war construction. Schlage and Kwikset cylindrical knob locks — the standard for residential construction in the 1940s-1950s. Kwikset began production in 1947 — the same year the first Plantation homes were built.
Deadbolts were not standard in the 1940s-1950s. Many of these homes were built with knob locks only. If your Phase 1 home still has its original knob lock and no deadbolt, adding one is the most cost-effective security upgrade you can make. A deadbolt extends at least one inch into the door frame — far harder to force than a spring-latch knob lock.
The oldest homes in this section may have had their locks replaced multiple times through decades of ownership changes. The question is what’s on the door now, not what was originally installed. If the hardware hasn’t been touched since the 1970s or 1980s, the pins are worn and the locks need service.
Phase 2: The Jacaranda Era (1970s-1980s)
In the late 1960s, the Gulfstream Land and Development Corporation bought a nine-square-mile tract in central Plantation — from University Drive west to Hiatus Road, from I-595 north to Sunrise Boulevard. The intent was to build “an equivalent to Coral Gables in Broward County.”
Jacaranda
A large golf-course master community organized into many neighborhoods of single-family homes, townhomes, and condos. Built primarily between 1970 and 1980 along winding waterways and the semi-private 36-hole Jacaranda Golf Club. Lots range from about 11,000 to 18,000 square feet, with some larger golf-estate lots.
Jacaranda Lakes
A sub-community within Jacaranda, located north of Cleary Boulevard at Nob Hill Road. Single-family homes built between 1977 and 1991, ranging from 1,550 to 3,340 square feet with three to five bedrooms.
Locks you’ll find in Phase 2: Schlage and Kwikset cylindrical locks with deadbolts — deadbolts became standard in the 1970s. The hardware is now 35-50 years old. If the locks feel loose or the key sticks, the pin tumblers are worn. Rekeying replaces the pins; if the bolt mechanism itself is sloppy, replacement is the better call.
Schlage introduced its Primus high-security lock in the 1980s. You may find Primus cylinders on higher-end homes in Jacaranda. Primus keys cannot be copied at a hardware store — they require authorization from the original installer. If you’re rekeying a Primus system, the locksmith needs to source the correct restricted key blanks.
The golf-course orientation means many Jacaranda homes have rear entries from golf-cart paths or side gates. These secondary entries are often overlooked during rekeys. If you’re rekeying after a purchase, make sure every exterior opening is included.
Phase 3: Plantation Acres (1970s-1990s)
Plantation Acres is Plantation’s rural enclave — the part of the city that never fully left the agricultural era. A land developer started with 2,000 acres in 1963, spending $500,000 for 25 miles of roads and canals. Roads were dirt and rock. The community grew with horse lovers and families that wanted a rural atmosphere. The area was annexed into the City of Plantation on October 9, 1973.
Today, Plantation Acres is designated a Special Public Interest Rural District to protect the natural landscape. Housing includes single detached homes and townhouses, with many residences built between the 1960s and the 1990s.
Locks you’ll find in Phase 3: Varied — homes span from the 1960s through the 1990s. The older homes (1960s-1970s) have Schlage or Kwikset cylindrical locks, possibly without original deadbolts. The newer builds (1980s-1990s) have modern hardware with deadbolts standard.
Plantation Acres is unique in Plantation because of its acreage lots, barns, and equestrian properties. Each outbuilding — barn, tack room, workshop, feed storage — needs its own lock. These are frequently neglected. Tack room locks are often original to the build, exposed to humidity, and rarely rekeyed. If you’ve purchased a property in Plantation Acres, rekey every exterior opening including outbuildings.
Phase 4: Modern Plantation and Midtown (1990s-Present)
The most recent phase of Plantation’s development is defined by two forces: new luxury residential construction and the redevelopment of the old Fashion Mall site into the Plantation Midtown District.
The Fashion Mall shuttered in 2007. City officials renamed the area the Plantation Midtown District and renovated with brick pavers, widened sidewalks, bicycle paths, and pocket parks. New residential developments followed — The Residences at The Fountains (251 units), One Plantation (two 12-story towers with 321 units).
Newer Communities
Broadstone at Plantation — A 250-unit garden-style project surrounding a lake, with a community clubhouse, pool, fitness center, and dog park.
Strata — 147 townhomes on vacant land at 4350 West Sunrise Boulevard. Two-bedroom and three-bedroom units with fitness trails, parks, and a resort-style pool.
Fox Run at Jacaranda — Built between 1988 and 1992. Slightly newer and smaller than the main Jacaranda Lakes homes — 1,900 to 2,500 square feet.
Locks you’ll find in Phase 4: Modern Grade 2 or Grade 3 residential hardware. Deadbolts standard. Impact-rated doors on homes built after the 2002 Florida Building Code revisions. Multi-point locking systems on some impact-rated entries. Smart lock-ready setups in newer builds. Condo buildings in the Midtown District have building entry systems — key fob, intercom, or keypad — on common doors, with individual unit locks.
These homes need the least hardware replacement and the most rekeying — especially after a sale or tenant change. If you just closed on a Plantation condo or townhome, rekey before you move in. You don’t know how many copies of the key exist.
Services We Provide in Plantation
- House rekey — First lock includes the service call. Additional locks on the same visit cost less.
- Lock change / lock replacement — When hardware is worn, damaged, or you want to upgrade.
- Home lockout — Locked out of your house? We get you back in without damaging the lock. Flat rate quoted before we dispatch.
- Deadbolt installation — If your older Plantation home has a knob lock but no deadbolt, adding one is the most cost-effective security upgrade available.
- Sliding door and patio door locks — Many Plantation homes from the 1970s and 1980s have original sliding door hardware. Auxiliary locks and security bars available.
- Mailbox lock replacement — Cluster mailbox units in condo communities and HOA neighborhoods jam frequently.
- Outbuilding and gate locks — Barns, tack rooms, workshops, and gates on Plantation Acres properties.
- Condo unit rekey — If you’ve purchased a condo in the Midtown District or a newer community, rekey the unit door before move-in.
Plantation Quick Reference
| Phase | Era | Typical neighborhoods | Typical locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Peters Plan | 1940s-1950s | Historic Old Plantation, East Acre Drive | Schlage/Kwikset cylindrical, deadbolts added later |
| The Jacaranda Era | 1970s-1980s | Jacaranda, Jacaranda Lakes | Schlage/Kwikset with deadbolts, Primus on upscale homes |
| Plantation Acres | 1970s-1990s | Plantation Acres, Melaleuca Isles | Mixed — 1960s-1990s hardware depending on build year |
| Modern / Midtown | 1990s-present | Broadstone, Strata, One Plantation, Fox Run | Modern Grade 2/3 hardware, impact doors, smart lock-ready |
Need a Locksmith in Plantation?
Licensed and insured. Flat-rate pricing quoted before we dispatch.
Call (954) 888-8800 or fill out the form below. We serve all Plantation ZIP codes: 33317, 33322, 33323, 33324, 33325.
Whether you’re in a 1940s ranch on East Acre Drive or a modern condo in the Midtown District, we know what locks are on your door and what they need.
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