WEST PALM BEACH — Construction officially kicked off on Wednesday on Nora, the $1 billion dining, business and residential district coming to a gritty zone just north of downtown.

During a morning presentation, the atmosphere was casual but chic as people gathered in a converted warehouse along North Railroad Avenue to welcome the largest planned redevelopment in the city's history since CityPlace, now known as The Square.

Developers wore suit jackets but went sockless in soft-soled shoes. Musicians played Coldplay's Viva la Vida.

Mayor Keith James told the crowd that his first impression of the warehouse space was, "What a Miami vibe."

Then James added: "I can't wait for the day when someone walks into a place like this and says, 'What a West Palm Beach vibe!' "

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What is the Nora district in West Palm Beach? Here are five things to know:

West Palm Beach's newest neighborhood

Nora is a newly created district just north of downtown. Nora is short for North Railroad Avenue, the district's western boundary.

Six years ago, NDT Development of West Palm Beach bought a couple of old warehouses along the railroad tracks with the idea of turning the vintage buildings into restaurants, said NDT co-founder Ned Grace. Over time, plans grew bigger and bolder, and the idea became a plan to create a neighborhood.

NDT partnered with Place Projects, an early developer of Miami's Wynwood, to help craft the vision.

The Nora district now encompasses 40 acres, 13 to 15 of which the Nora development group owns.

Nora timeline: What's coming and when?

Work has begun on Nora's first phase, the transformation of old warehouses along North Railroad Avenue into restaurants, offices, stores and gyms. This part of the project is known as Nora's Main Street and completion is slated for the end of 2024.

Some 13 buildings will make up the 154,000 square feet planned for Main Street, a phase expected to cost $123 million. Of the 13 buildings, nine are rehabs of old structures, and four will be new construction.

A second phase is expected to start construction in 2024, with the completion of both set for 2026.

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Foodies get ready because a blend of local and regional restaurants are slated for Nora

Expect a blend of local and regional restaurant operators at Nora.

Developers won't yet dish about the 13 operators, but they acknowledged that leases are starting to get inked.

Eateries will range from fine dining to a neighborhood coffee shop to a lunchtime spot. Mexican, Italian, sushi, Mediterranean and American fare are all in the mix.

You won't see chain restaurants here. Instead, look for experienced regional operations, some of which will be chef-driven.

Nora will be much more than just restaurants

Want to work where all the cool kids are?

Developers plan offices atop the ground floor restaurants. Already, Nora's developers are fielding inquiries from professional-office users, including architects and medical providers.

Eventually, office buildings could rise along the district's northern boundary, Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard.

How about a workout or a little retail therapy? Look for boutique fitness operators as well as a mini-department store or other shops along Main Street.

And if you want to eat and work in one spot, Nora's developers are planning to build a private social club, too.

Visit or live where you eat, shop and work

Nora's second phase will see construction of apartments and a hotel.

Between 175 and 200 rooms are planned for a coming hotel, under development by New York's Richard Born and Ira Drukier of BD Hotels, along with acclaimed hotelier Sean MacPherson.

The hotel will feature a signature restaurant and a 25,000-square-foot rooftop bar and restaurant on the property's north side.

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Plans also are in the works to also build a 600-unit apartment complex at both market and workforce housing rental rates, Grace said.

When completed, Nora is expected to cost nearly $1 billion to develop, said Ned Grace, co-founder and managing partner of NDT Development in West Palm Beach and a Nora co-developer.

Alexandra Clough is a business writer and columnist at the Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at aclough@pbpost.com. Twitter: @acloughpbp. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: West Palm Beach Nora District facts about downtown development