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Italian Giovanni Vouhafara sat at Wet Willies bar sipping an exotic grain alcohol-laced slurpie in a plastic cup as he absorbed the Old World atmosphere of the new CityPlace complex.
"It reminds me of Milan, the architecture, style and design," said Vouhafara, a recently arrived transplant from Cincinnati who was making his fourth visit. "It's very special the way they put it together. It's very beautiful."
CityPlace embraces $600 million of Old World new urbanism on 77 acres a few blocks from the, Intracoastal Waterway and downtown West Palm Beach.
As in Europe, there are no setbacks so buildings start where the sidewalk ends.
It has revived West Palm Beach as a worldwide go-to destination since its October 2000 opening.
CityPlace includes 78 stores, 10 restaurants, 570 apartments and town homes, the $6 million makeover of a 74-year-old one-time Methodist Church, $3 million in fountains, three office buildings and soon, a convention center.
With easy international airport access, it boasts a complete palette of Florida pastels, paved brick avenues dedicated to strolling and plenty of outdoor benches for the walking weary.
CityPlace offers something for everyone: the ambience is food, people watching, boutique shopping coupled with entertainment.
And then there's the 20-screen Muvico version of the Sistine Chapel with its pseudo Michelangelo murals, giving the impression that skilled Italian craftsmen are popping the corn and filling the sodas.
So what's not to like?
After 14...