Eric walks down Clematis Street headed for lunch. He works just around the corner in the Palm Beach County Courthouse. When he started work there a few years ago, there wasn’t much in downtown West Palm Beach. Still amazed at the transformation, Eric is startled every day to see so many people sitting at outdoor dining tables and shopping at places like Banana Republic and Z Gallerie. This is indeed a big change.

At 11:45, he’s having lunch earlier than normal. The street is bustling. It’s mid-January and it’s 79 degrees Fahrenheit.