Opening in October 2000, the property is primarily credited for the urban renaissance of West Palm Beach,[1] which had previously been notorious for crime, poverty, and vacant and dilapidated businesses and houses.

Apart from shopping, dining, and cinema, the center is now at the forefront of West Palm Beach's entertainment complementing establishments located on nearby Clematis Street.

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.

The duo donated 5 acres (2.0 ha) of land for development of the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, which opened in 1992.

[4] 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.

[2] Then-Mayor of West Palm Beach Nancy Graham and the city acquired the land in 1995 using a multimillion-dollar loan and eminent domain.

[4] 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.

Their plan included an 18 to 24 screen movie theater and a number of restaurants, upscale stores, apartments, and office buildings.

[8] 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.

[13] Early on, CityPlace sought to attract many high-end stores as tenants, though emphasis shifted to home furnishings during the housing bubble.

Built in 1926 in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, it has undergone a six million dollar restoration, and serves today as a cultural center.