CityPlace

CityPlace is an upscale, mixed-use lifestyle center located at 700 South Rosemary Avenue in Downtown West Palm Beach, Florida. Considered a New Urbanist mixed-use development, CityPlace is architecturally composed of Mediterranean and Venetian elements. The 600,000-square-foot center constitutes several city blocks and contains more than 60 restaurants and stores, as well as rental apartments, condos, and offices. Developed by The Related Companies and opened on October 27, 2000, the development has since become the most visited neighborhood in West Palm Beach and a defining landmark of the city's ongoing urban transformation. The property is primarily credited for the urban renaissance of West Palm Beach, which had previously been notorious for crime, poverty, and vacant and dilapidated businesses and houses.

Background and Pre-Development History

The origins of CityPlace are rooted in a decades-long effort to revitalize a blighted stretch of Downtown West Palm Beach. By the 1980s, downtown West Palm Beach had acquired a reputation for crime, poverty, and vacant and dilapidated businesses and houses. United States Senator Lawton Chiles referred to the area as a "war zone," while local politicians were not optimistic about the future of downtown. West Palm Beach had the highest crime rate for a city of its size in the late 1980s.

The first significant attempt to rehabilitate the area came in the mid-1980s. In 1986, private investors David C. Paladino and Henry J. Rolfs presented a 20-year, $433 million project to revitalize the western side of downtown, in the vicinity of where CityPlace is presently located. The proposal, known as Uptown/Downtown, included plans for 3,700,000 square feet of office space, 190,000 square feet of retail space, 800 hotel rooms, and 700 residential units. Paladino and Rolfs purchased and razed properties across 77 acres of land — more than 300 properties — adjacent to Okeechobee Boulevard for about $40 million, with the exception of the historic First United Methodist Church (built in 1926), which later became the Harriet Himmel Theater. The duo also donated 5 acres of land for development of the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, which opened in 1992.

However, by the early 1990s, the project was discontinued after Rolfs exhausted his personal fortune and due to defaulted loans, foreclosures, lawsuits, and a recession. Then-Mayor of West Palm Beach Nancy Graham and the city acquired the land in 1995 using a multimillion-dollar loan and eminent domain. With the land back under municipal control, city officials solicited competing visions for the site. On August 1, 1996, three proposals for developing the former Uptown/Downtown project area were presented to the city of West Palm Beach — CityPlace, KravisPlace, and Millennium. Commissioners voted 5–1 to approve the $375 million project called CityPlace, proposed by Himmel & Co., the Related Cos., the O'Connor Group, and the Related Group.

Development and Opening

Following the city commission's selection of the CityPlace proposal in October 1996, planning and design work began in earnest. Architecture firm Elkus Manfredi worked on the original Master Plan of CityPlace in the late 1990s. The historic First United Methodist Church, built in 1926 and one of the finest examples of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture of its time, was converted into the Harriet Himmel Theatre with accompanying restaurants and retail shops, serving as the cultural centerpiece of the entire development. Mayor Nancy Graham, the city's first strong mayor, stated at the time: "Develop what you wish on these 55 acres, my only request is that you save, restore and adaptively reuse this iconic structure with a public use for the people of West Palm Beach."

In exchange for approving the development, the city agreed to invest $75 million for construction of streets, parking garages, and plazas, with $20 million already borrowed for purchasing land. Construction began on May 1, 1998, during a gala featuring speakers including the project leaders, Mayor Nancy Graham, and Congressmen Mark Foley and Clay Shaw. The project was expected to be completed by November 1999, though CityPlace would actually open in October 2000. CityPlace opened to the public on October 27, 2000, with 31 stores and 1 restaurant opening during the first weekend. The original anchors for CityPlace were Barnes & Noble, Macy's, Muvico Parisian 20 and IMAX theater.

Architecture and Layout

The shopping center is considered the epitome of a New Urbanist mixed-use development. Most of its architecture is West European-inspired, with mainly Mediterranean and Venetian elements. This design philosophy was a deliberate choice to evoke a walkable, village-like atmosphere absent from most American suburban retail developments of the era.

The CityPlace Tower, constructed in 2007 and associated with the original property, is postmodern in style. This tower was downtown West Palm Beach's first office development in over twenty years. Later phases of CityPlace, including Montecito Palm Beach (formerly called The Mark at CityPlace) and CityPlace South Tower, retain loyalty to the original development's architecture.

The Harriet Himmel Theater remains a defining architectural feature. The Urban Land Institute, in an article celebrating the urban renewal mixed-use project, called the Harriet Himmel the "heart and soul" of West Palm Beach. The historic building gave CityPlace authenticity, a European-like village center unlike any other place in Florida.

Interactive public art pieces like The Wishing Tree, a 26-foot color-changing LED-lit banyan tree, and Water Pavilion West Palm, which children enjoy, draw significant visitor numbers. CityPlace holds the largest concentration of public art installed by a private company in Palm Beach County.

The property is also accessible by multiple transit options. CityPlace is adjacent to the high-speed train Brightline, which offers connections between West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami. An early-century trolleybus also circles downtown between CityPlace and Clematis Street.

Name Changes and Rebranding

CityPlace has undergone several name changes over its history, reflecting shifts in ownership strategy and community identity.

In 2019, CityPlace was rebranded as Rosemary Square. This change was part of a larger $550 million transformation plan by the Related Companies, aiming to create a more dynamic, community-oriented space. The rebranding to Rosemary Square was intended to reflect the new vision of a greener, more walkable, and more engaging urban environment. This initiative included new public spaces, updated landscaping, art installations, and improved connectivity with surrounding neighborhoods.

The shopping center was re-named "The Square" in 2023, then back to CityPlace in 2024. The entertainment area of downtown West Palm Beach returned to its old roots, changing its name back to CityPlace after a series of different appellations over the last few years. The decision to revert the name was influenced by a combination of market and community factors. CityPlace had established strong brand recognition and loyalty over the years, the name was synonymous with downtown West Palm Beach's resurgence, and many residents and visitors had a nostalgic attachment to the name CityPlace, which played a role in the decision to revert. On May 1, 2024, The Related Cos. reversed the name changes, changing the name of the center back to CityPlace.

Tenants, Anchors, and Amenities

LA Fitness and Publix serve as the center's current anchors. The third anchor was Macy's, which closed in 2017. Two movie theaters, AMC Parisian 20 and IMAX, were also on the property, though they have both since closed. In May 2023, the AMC Theatre closed and was demolished four months later, along with Copper Blues and Palm Beach Improv.

CityPlace is expanding by over 125,000 square feet with new retail brands such as Equinox, clothing brands such as Alo and Reformation, high-end makeup retailers like Bluemercury, and home retail shops like Crate & Barrel. On the dining front, the beloved international marketplace Eataly has opened inside the historic Harriet Himmel Hall, unveiling more than 23,000 square feet of food, culture, and theatrical flair in the heart of CityPlace.

The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts and Alexander W. Dreyfoos Jr. School of the Arts are located within walking distance of CityPlace, as is the Palm Beach County Convention Center. The Hilton West Palm Beach hotel is also directly integrated with the CityPlace campus. The property features the newly reimagined Hilton West Palm Beach, presenting 400-plus renovated rooms, a resort-style pool, and thoughtfully curated amenities.

Expansion and Future Development

CityPlace's most ambitious expansion to date began in 2025. On March 12, 2025, Related Ross held a groundbreaking ceremony for 10 and 15 CityPlace. These two Class AA commercial office towers mark a significant milestone in transforming Downtown West Palm Beach into a premier business and cultural hub. 10 CityPlace, located to the west, will measure 22 floors and stand 327 feet tall; 15 CityPlace, the east tower, will be slightly taller at 24 floors or 338 feet. Kohn Pedersen Fox designed 10 CityPlace and Arquitectonica designed 15 CityPlace.

Together, 10 CityPlace and 15 CityPlace will introduce nearly one million square feet of new office space to Downtown West Palm Beach. The towers are expected to be completed in 2027, with 15 CityPlace already 60 percent leased. Anchoring the building, Cleveland Clinic is set to open a state-of-the-art outpatient facility at 15 CityPlace, which will be integrated with their new hospital campus. Completing these towers is expected to bring approximately 4,700 jobs to the area, further boosting the local economy.

The expansion complements the launch of Eataly, the development of Vanderbilt University's graduate campus nearby, and the expansion of retail and dining options. Related Ross has committed to sustainable development, with 15 CityPlace targeting LEED Gold certification.