CityPlace — Now Rosemary Square — West Palm Beach

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Rosemary Square, formerly known as CityPlace, is a mixed-use urban development located in downtown West Palm Beach, Florida. The development integrates residential units, retail and dining establishments, professional office space, cultural venues, and public parkland across a contiguous district in the city's urban core. Originally conceived in the late 1990s as a vehicle for revitalizing a long-neglected section of downtown, the project was developed through a public-private partnership between the City of West Palm Beach and private real estate interests. The development was rebranded from CityPlace to Rosemary Square in 2019, a change intended to align the district more closely with the historic Rosemary Avenue corridor and to emphasize the area's connection to established West Palm Beach neighborhoods.

The district occupies a site that was historically part of West Palm Beach's industrial and light manufacturing base. Decades of economic decline left the area largely abandoned before municipal planning efforts began to explore redevelopment options in the 1990s. Since its opening in the early 2000s, the development has expanded in phases, weathering significant disruption during the 2008 financial crisis before resuming growth in the following decade. Today, the district is anchored by several cultural and commercial institutions, including a performing arts venue, a hotel, and proximity to the Palm Beach County Convention Center. The West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) has cited the district as a central component of the city's broader downtown revitalization strategy.

Rosemary Square sits near the Intracoastal Waterway to the east and is accessible via US Route 1 and Interstate 95, connecting it to the wider Palm Beach County transportation network. Its walkable design, tree-lined streetscapes, and mix of public gathering spaces have been cited by urban planning researchers and the Urban Land Institute as an example of adaptive mixed-use redevelopment in a mid-sized Florida city.

History

Early Development and Industrial Decline

The land now occupied by Rosemary Square formed part of West Palm Beach's commercial and light industrial core during the early twentieth century. The district supported citrus processing operations, warehousing, and small-scale manufacturing through the mid-century period, activities that reflected the broader agricultural and trade economy of Palm Beach County at the time. By the 1950s and 1960s, however, the decline of citrus processing in the immediate area and the outward migration of commercial activity toward suburban corridors left the district increasingly underutilized. Abandoned warehouses and vacant lots accumulated through subsequent decades, and the area experienced the economic hollowing-out common to many American downtown industrial zones during this period.

Redevelopment Planning in the 1990s

Beginning in the early 1990s, the City of West Palm Beach and the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency began studying options for reinvigorating the downtown core. City planners identified the former industrial district as a priority redevelopment zone given its central location, access to transit corridors, and proximity to the waterfront. Planning documents from this period called for a large-scale mixed-use development that would combine residential, retail, dining, and cultural uses in a format intended to generate pedestrian activity and support surrounding neighborhoods.

The project that emerged from this process was named CityPlace. The Related Group, a Miami-based real estate developer, became a principal development partner alongside city agencies. The partnership structured the project as a phased mixed-use development, with the first phase targeting residential units and ground-floor retail. Construction on the initial phase commenced in the late 1990s, and the development opened to the public in 2000, representing one of the larger urban redevelopment projects undertaken in South Florida at that time.

Construction and the 2008 Financial Crisis

The first phase of CityPlace was received positively, and the early 2000s brought sustained leasing activity and rising residential occupancy. Plans for subsequent construction phases called for additional residential towers, expanded retail space, and a boutique hotel component. Those plans were materially disrupted when the 2008 financial crisis severely contracted the real estate financing markets on which the project depended. Several planned construction phases were suspended as developer confidence and access to capital diminished sharply. The project entered a period of stalled momentum that persisted through the early 2010s, requiring both the city and its private development partners to reassess the original phasing and financing structure.

In response, city officials and development partners adopted a phased recovery approach that allowed construction and leasing activity to resume incrementally as market conditions stabilized. Rather than attempting to execute the full original vision on a compressed timeline, planners prioritized completing specific anchor components that would generate foot traffic and commercial revenue to support subsequent phases. By the mid-2010s, activity had meaningfully recovered, and several key components — including the hotel and expanded retail and dining offerings — were completed or advanced toward completion.

The 2019 Rebrand to Rosemary Square

In 2019, the development was officially rebranded from CityPlace to Rosemary Square. The name change reflected a deliberate repositioning of the district's identity, connecting it to the historic Rosemary Avenue corridor that runs along the western edge of the development. Rosemary Avenue has historically served as a central artery of one of West Palm Beach's older residential and commercial neighborhoods, and city planners and developers viewed the name change as a way to anchor the development more firmly in the city's existing urban fabric rather than presenting it as an autonomous commercial enclave.

The rebrand also coincided with broader marketing efforts targeting young professionals, artists, and families — demographic groups that city planners identified as central to sustaining long-term vitality in the downtown corridor. Emphasis was placed on the district's walkability, access to green space, and proximity to cultural institutions. The West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority incorporated the Rosemary Square identity into its promotional materials and economic development planning documents following the name change.

Geography

Rosemary Square occupies a central position within the downtown West Palm Beach grid, bounded approximately by Okeechobee Boulevard to the north, Lakeview Avenue to the south, Quadrille Boulevard to the east, and Rosemary Avenue to the west. The Intracoastal Waterway lies a short distance to the east of the district, and the proximity to the waterfront contributes to the area's recreational profile and visual character. The district's eastern orientation toward the waterway also situates it near the city's marina district, where recreational boating, kayaking, and waterfront dining are available.

The district is well served by regional transportation infrastructure. US Route 1 passes through the immediate vicinity, and Interstate 95 is accessible within a short drive, connecting Rosemary Square to the broader Palm Beach County transportation network and to the major population centers of Fort Lauderdale and Miami to the south. Palm Tran bus service provides public transit access, with multiple routes connecting the district to downtown West Palm Beach, the Palm Beach International Airport, and surrounding municipalities.

The built environment within Rosemary Square combines low-rise and mid-rise structures with open plazas, tree-lined pedestrian pathways, and landscaped public spaces. The design reflects planning principles prioritizing pedestrian activity over automobile traffic, consistent with urban design frameworks promoted by organizations such as the Congress for the New Urbanism. Street-level retail and dining activate the ground floors of residential and commercial buildings, and public gathering spaces punctuate the district at regular intervals. The Palm Beach County Convention Center lies within close proximity to the northern end of the district, reinforcing Rosemary Square's role as a hub for both leisure visitors and business travelers attending conferences and trade events.

Culture

The cultural programming within Rosemary Square reflects both the diversity of West Palm Beach's resident population and the city's sustained investment in arts infrastructure. The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, located on Okeechobee Boulevard adjacent to the district, functions as the primary regional venue for major theatrical productions, orchestral performances, and touring Broadway engagements. While technically a distinct institution, the Kravis Center's proximity to Rosemary Square has reinforced the district's identity as a cultural destination within the broader downtown area.

Within the district itself, galleries and artist studios occupy ground-floor and mezzanine spaces throughout the development, providing exhibition opportunities for local and regional artists. The district has attracted a community of visual artists, designers, and creative professionals whose presence has contributed to Rosemary Square's reputation as a center for contemporary arts in Palm Beach County. Educational partnerships between arts organizations within the district and area universities have supported programs connecting students and emerging professionals with established practitioners.

The West Palm Beach GreenMarket, held weekly in downtown West Palm Beach and drawing vendors, artisans, and food producers from across the region, operates in proximity to Rosemary Square and is closely associated with the district's public life. The market highlights the agricultural traditions of Palm Beach County and serves as a regular gathering point for residents and visitors. Periodic cultural events, including art walks, outdoor film screenings, and seasonal festivals celebrating the city's multicultural heritage, animate the district's public spaces throughout the year. These events are coordinated in part by the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority and by individual tenants and cultural organizations operating within the development.

Economy

Rosemary Square functions as one of the most commercially active districts within West Palm Beach's urban core. The district's retail component includes a mix of boutique apparel shops, specialty retailers, and national brand tenants operating alongside a substantial dining and hospitality sector. Restaurants, cafes, and food markets within the district offer cuisine ranging from locally sourced seafood and farm-to-table concepts to international dining options, catering to both the residential population of the surrounding neighborhood and visitors drawn by the district's cultural and entertainment offerings. These commercial operations support significant employment in the hospitality and service sectors. A 2023 report by the Palm Beach County Business Development Board indicated that the retail and hospitality operations within the Rosemary Square district contribute substantially to the local economy, with the broader downtown West Palm Beach district — anchored in significant part by Rosemary Square — generating considerable annual economic output.

The presence of the Palm Beach County Convention Center immediately north of the district has materially expanded the economic base by attracting business travelers, conference attendees, and trade show participants whose spending benefits hotels, restaurants, and transportation services throughout the area. The hotel component within Rosemary Square serves this demand, providing lodging for convention visitors and leisure travelers alike. Professional services firms, technology companies, and creative industry businesses have also established a presence within the district, drawn by the walkable environment, access to transportation infrastructure, and proximity to a dense residential and consumer market.

Startups and small businesses have found the district's physical environment and foot traffic conducive to growth. The West Palm Beach CRA has documented the district's role in generating tax increment financing revenue that supports continued public investment in downtown infrastructure and services. The development has been cited as a functional model demonstrating that strategic public-private investment in mixed-use urban redevelopment can generate self-sustaining economic activity, a conclusion reflected in planning literature examining downtown revitalization in mid-sized Florida cities.

Attractions

The principal cultural venue within and adjacent to Rosemary Square is the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, which hosts theater productions, orchestral performances, dance recitals, and touring national acts throughout the year. The Kravis Center draws audiences from across Palm Beach County and the broader South Florida region and has been central to establishing the district's identity as a destination for the performing arts.

Rosemary Square Park provides a significant public green space within the district, offering open lawns, shaded seating areas, and pedestrian pathways that accommodate recreational use on a daily basis. The park serves as the primary venue for outdoor community programming, including seasonal festivals, food truck gatherings, fitness classes, and public art installations. The park's design integrates it with the surrounding built environment in a manner intended to encourage spontaneous public use rather than limiting the space to scheduled programming alone.

The West Palm Beach GreenMarket operates on a weekly basis in the downtown area adjacent to the district, offering locally grown produce, artisanal goods, handmade crafts, and prepared foods. The market supports regional farmers and small-scale food producers while providing residents and visitors with direct access to seasonal agricultural products from Palm Beach County and surrounding areas. It has operated continuously for several decades and is one of the longest-running farmers markets in South Florida.

The district's gallery spaces and artist studios offer rotating exhibitions of visual art, with particular emphasis on work by South Florida–based artists. These venues are supplemented by periodic art walk events that guide visitors through the district's creative spaces, providing context for the work on display and opportunities for direct engagement between artists and audiences. Educational programs associated with these galleries have established connections to area schools and universities, embedding the district's arts offerings within a broader framework of community arts education.

Transportation

Rosemary Square is served by multiple modes of transportation reflecting its central location within the West Palm Beach urban grid. Palm Tran, the Palm Beach County public bus system, operates several routes through and adjacent to the district, including connections to the Palm Beach International Airport, Palm Beach County Convention Center, and surrounding residential neighborhoods. The Tri-Rail commuter rail system connects West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale and Miami, with the West Palm Beach Tri-Rail station located within a short distance of the district.<ref>[https://www.tri-rail.com Tri-Rail Commuter Rail – Stations and