There is so much happening in downtown West Palm Beach right now — new restaurants, luxury residences, waterfront development, entertainment, and an energy that seems to keep growing.
On one of my recent downtown tours, I stopped at Oversea at Flagler Banyan Square, located at 290 N. Olive Avenuein the heart of downtown West Palm Beach.
Oversea is a luxury rental community overlooking the marina, Intracoastal Waterway and, from select residences, even the Atlantic Ocean. Best of all, you are surrounded by so much of what makes downtown West Palm Beach such a fun place to live.
Downtown Living With a Waterfront Feel
One of the first things that caught my attention at Oversea was the combination of downtown living and beautiful water views.
Select residences offer expansive balconies with city or water views, floor-to-ceiling impact-resistant windows, modern kitchens, quartz countertops, full-size washers and dryers, and views toward the Intracoastal and ocean.
You can be right in the middle of West Palm Beach and still come home to a setting that feels very connected to the South Florida waterfront lifestyle.
Resort-Style Amenities
The amenities are another reason Oversea stood out to me.
Residents have access to a resort-style saltwater pool with a waterfall and cabanas, rooftop deck, yoga lawn, 24-hour fitness and yoga center, media room, clubroom, business and meeting spaces, bike storage, grilling areas, and even a pet spa with a washing station.
I especially enjoyed the outdoor spaces. They give you places to relax, entertain, work out, or simply enjoy our South Florida weather without ever leaving home.
But the Real Amenity May Be the Location
This is where downtown West Palm Beach living gets really interesting.
Oversea is part of Flagler Banyan Square, putting you close to the West Palm Beach waterfront, Flagler Drive, Clematis Street, restaurants, nightlife, hotels, shopping, entertainment and the Brightline station. Palm Beach is just across the Flagler Memorial Bridge.
You can head toward Clematis Street and the waterfront, take a walk along Flagler Drive, meet friends for dinner or drinks, or enjoy one of the many events happening downtown.
The West Palm Beach Waterfront at 100 N. Clematis Street hosts events throughout the year, including Clematis by Night, Screen on the Green, Sunday on the Waterfront, holiday celebrations and the West Palm Beach GreenMarket.
The West Palm Beach GreenMarket is one of my personal favorite examples of the downtown lifestyle — produce, food, local vendors, music and people gathering right along the waterfront.
Restaurants, Rooftops & Downtown Nightlife
And then there is the food!
Downtown West Palm Beach now has dozens of restaurants, cafés, bars and rooftop destinations within a relatively compact area.
A few well-known downtown spots worth exploring include Elisabetta’s Ristorante Bar Pizzeria on Banyan Boulevard for Italian food, Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar on Clematis, longtime waterfront favorite E.R. Bradley’s, Lynora’s for Italian cuisine, and Spruzzo, the rooftop restaurant and lounge at The Ben overlooking the Intracoastal.
Depending on your mood, you can go from casual lunch to waterfront drinks, Italian dinner, live music or a rooftop cocktail — often without having to leave downtown.
CityPlace — And the New Eataly
A little farther south is CityPlace, the area many longtime locals will remember as Rosemary Square.
Today it has become another major dining, shopping and entertainment destination within downtown West Palm Beach.
And if you watch until the end of my video, you’ll see one of its most recognizable historic buildings.
The former Harriet Himmel Hall, originally built as a church, has been transformed into Eataly West Palm Beach, an Italian marketplace and dining destination right in the center of CityPlace. CityPlace describes the new Eataly as occupying the historic Harriet Himmel Hall, while Eataly offers Italian restaurants, cafés, fresh pasta, pizza, specialty foods, wine, classes and market experiences.
I love that they preserved the character of this beautiful historic building while giving it an entirely new life.
And of course, right outside is the beautiful CityPlace fountain, which is where I chose to end this particular video.
Art, Culture, Palm Beach & the Beach
Downtown living isn’t only about restaurants and nightlife.
The Norton Museum of Art and the cultural attractions along the southern side of downtown are close by, as is the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts near CityPlace.
Cross the bridge and you’re on the island of Palm Beach, with Worth Avenue, historic architecture, restaurants, resorts and the Atlantic Ocean just beyond.
That is one of the things I find so special about this area: in a relatively small radius you can go from a downtown high-rise to Flagler Drive, the Intracoastal, Palm Beach and the beach.
You can have the city and the South Florida lifestyle.
West Palm Beach Is Still Growing
Something else you’ll notice in my video is the construction.
It is almost impossible to drive or walk through downtown West Palm Beach right now without seeing cranes, new buildings and major projects taking shape.
I intentionally included some of that footage because my What’s Hot in West Palm Beach series isn’t only about touring individual properties.
I want to show you the neighborhood around the property too.
Where do you walk?
Where do you eat?
What’s opening?
What’s being built?
Where can you go on a Saturday morning?
What does it actually feel like to live here?
Those are just as important as the number of bedrooms or the countertops inside a residence.
Thinking About Renting in Downtown West Palm Beach?
Oversea currently offers studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom residences, although pricing, views, floor plans and availability change frequently.
If you’re relocating to West Palm Beach, considering renting before buying, looking for a luxury rental, need to sell your home to relocate, or simply trying to understand the different downtown buildings and neighborhoods, I would be happy to help you explore your options.
Every building has its own personality, location, amenities and views — and seeing them in person can make a big difference.
I’m Mercedes Lopez with True Blue Realty, and this is my little corner of West Palm Beach.
