A major cloud computing company, ServiceNow, is set to open an innovation hub at 10 CityPlace, an office tower currently under construction in downtown West Palm Beach. The development is part of Steve Ross’ Related Ross efforts to transform the area into a technology center.
ServiceNow, based in Santa Clara, California and led by CEO Bill McDermott, specializes in helping businesses organize and automate tasks through artificial intelligence. The company has secured approvals for at least $17 million in grants from state and city sources to support its expansion in West Palm Beach. This includes $13 million from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, $2 million from additional state grants, and $2 million from the city.
The city grant requires ServiceNow to hire 856 employees over six years. If the company does not create at least 400 jobs, the funds can be retrieved.
Although there has not been an official announcement from Related Ross, ServiceNow or West Palm officials regarding this move, ServiceNow told Bloomberg earlier this year that it is “considering West Palm to support our global growth and future workforce expansion” and has posted job listings for positions in the city.
Steve Ross recently separated New York-based Related Companies’ Southeast U.S. division into his new firm, Related Ross. The company now focuses on South Florida and is currently the largest landlord in downtown West Palm Beach with eight office buildings either purchased, developed or planned. Construction began in March on both 10 CityPlace (25 stories) and 15 CityPlace (26 stories), both located within the CityPlace mixed-use complex. Completion of these towers is expected by 2027.
In other leasing news for Palm Beach County, C.R. Chicks—a local rotisserie chicken restaurant—has leased 1,800 square feet at The Fountains of Boynton Shopping Plaza at 6627 Boynton Beach Boulevard. Chris Haass and Scott Witkowski represented C.R. Chicks through Cohen Commercial Realty while Mike Featherston of TSCG represented the landlord.
C.R. Chicks was founded by Rick Davis and Chris Sallen in 1992 in Palm Beach County. With this latest lease agreement, C.R. Chicks now operates eight locations across the county and plans further expansion into Stuart with a new location at Wedgewood Commons plaza on Southeast Federal Highway.
