The area is served by banks, retail and wholesale shopping establishments, supermarkets, hospitals and clinics.

The area occupied today by the District of Itaim Paulista was first settled in the early years of the 17th century by Portuguese awarded grants of land under the semaria system.

In 1610–11, the Bandeirante Domingos de Góes received a grant of land in the "Boi Sentado" area near the Tietê River.

It was during this period that the chapel of Our Lady of Biacica was constructed (the name derives from the Tupi word "imbeicica", signifying a tough vine commonly found along the Tietê River).

During its first few centuries Itaim Paulista was a collection of small farms, ranches and smallholdings, held back by inadequate infrastructure and overshadowed by neighbouring communities.

At that time the main São Paulo-Rio highway ran alongside the property and the water used for the chapel's construction was brought by truck from the Itaim river in 200-liter drums.

The arrival of the Central do Brasil Railroad improved transport connections with São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, but road travel remained very difficult.

Under his slogan "to govern is to open roads", Washington Luís, Mayor of São Paulo (1914–1919), Governor of the State of São Paulo (1920–1924) and President of the Republic (1926–1930), encouraged the expansion of the urban highways network, largely following the pattern laid down during the colonial era.

Complementing the existing railroad service, the new highway helped encourage the growth of Itaim Paulista.

Over time the highway became an important route serving the town center of Itaim Paulista and an integral part of the local urban road network.

Today the Avenida Marechal Tito is the main thoroughfare of Itaim Paulista, lined by impressive buildings and serving all the town's most important facilities and attractions.

The Lajeado river marks the boundary between Itaim Paulista on the eastern side and Vila Curuçá.

Along with the three Vila Curuca rivers, the watercourses have been included in the Prefecture of São Paulo's "Corrego Limpo" clean-up program[2] The Tietê was an important source of gravel and sand used as construction materials for the town's development.