A Return Visit To CityPlace

I visited CityPlace down in West Palm Beach the other day and must say it is as vibrant and beautiful as ever. However, it is a much different place than when I first visited when it opened in the fall of 2000. It was getting a lot of hype in the local newspapers back then. It was a mixed-use development just south of the downtown area, with the goal of reviving the area, which was in a bit of a decline back then. The emphasis was on traditional retail, and it was anchored by Macy's, a Barnes and Noble Bookstore, and an AMC 20 screen theater. As now, there were fountains, beautiful landscaping, and a very upscale vibe. All three of those anchors are gone now. In place of the Macy's is a cultural arts center, the AMC theaters have been replaced by two high-rise office towers, and there are a lot more upscale condos and apartments to go with the pricey restaurants and shops. But it is still a very nice place to hang out.

A number of historic buildings were incorporated into CityPlace and restored, including the Grant Van Valkenburg House, built in 1918 and seen in the photograph on the right. But upscale apartments and condos, along with more and more high-rise office towers, one of which is right across from the Valkenburg House, predominate. On the plus side, it definitely results in a lot more foot traffic for those restaurants and shops.

One of those historic buildings in the neighborhood is the Hotel Evernia, seen in the photograph on the left and located on - wait for it - Evernia Street. It was built in 1925, during the Florida land boom of the 1920s, and started life as the Hotel Enoree. It was restored back in 1979, became the Hotel Evernia, and is the oldest running hotel in West Palm Beach, Florida. Just for fun, I checked the rates and found that a room with a private bathroom goes for $170, depending on time of year, of course, while a room with a shared bathroom goes for $148. I don't know about you, but if am paying almost $150 for a room (which I never try to do) I would definitely want a private bathroom, but that's just me.

The best thing about CityPlace is that it is just south of Clematis Street and downtown West Palm Beach, which is a pretty lively spot, with restaurants, pubs, tiki bars, and a large park space that borders Lake Worth. That park hosts a number of events, including Clematis by Night, which features live music and other events every Thursday night. Since everything is in walking distance, you only have to park once, which is a real plus in that now very busy area. And if you happen to own a super yacht, you are in luck! There are marinas all along the shores of Lake Worth that can accommodate you. It is a real temptation for me to bring my superyacht down here from Colorado. I'll just have to figure out the logistics. Very carefully.