Four thousand two hundred and fifty-nine souls. That’s how many people called Jardim São Caetano home in the year 2000. Imagine a community thriving within a meticulously planned space. This is Jardim São Caetano a neighborhood unlike any other.
Jardim São Caetano in São Caetano do Sul is more than just a collection of houses. It’s a testament to thoughtful urban planning. It’s one of the ABC region’s only high-class residential neighborhoods. Designed in the style of São Paulo’s Jardins América and Pacaembu it boasts grand homes lush greenery and wide avenues. The Companhia City the masterminds behind this planned community oversaw the creation of its 670 600 square meters.
The story of Jardim São Caetano begins long before its official birth in the 1960s. In 1930 the area was known as “the bank’s land”. This referred to the land acquired by the Bank of London & South America Limited. The land near the Bank of London included extensive lagoons along the Rio dos Meninos. Locals fished for traíra a type of fish in these waters. A vast plot was used by Cerâmica São Caetano for clay extraction. These properties combined formed an area of one million square meters. Half belonged to the English capitalist F Ford. The other half was owned by Wadih Pedro & Irmão. Two farms also stood there: Sítio dos Meninos Novos and Sítio Joaquim de Barros.
The Cavalheiro family were among the first residents arriving in 1949 after the land was developed. At that time Hugo Veronesi’s buses only reached the corner of Estrada das Lágrimas and Rua Armando de Arruda Pereira in the old Vila São José. José Cavalheiro with the help of neighbors Amâncio Toni and Pedro Depintor began installing the neighborhood’s electrical grid.
The old Vila Belvedere was incorporated into Jardim São Caetano. Its development started with the 1949 lot division by Edgar de Aguiar Gusmão approved by decree 379 on April 1st 1949. The neighborhood’s development is credited to engineer Victor Malunud and João Delamonica Pereira de Castro.
The Sociedade Amigos do Bairro a neighborhood association was founded on December 3 1979. Its first board members were sworn in March 1980.
Today Jardim São Caetano stands as a testament to careful planning and a thriving community. It represents a unique blend of history and modern elegance in the heart of São Caetano do Sul. From its humble beginnings as “the bank’s land” to its current status as a prestigious residential area it’s a journey through time. A journey you’ve just begun to explore.