City Hall Plaza is being increasingly transformed into a go-to destination and, per the request of Mayor Marty Walsh, will soon be the recipient of a much needed design facelift. Programming will be crucial to the plaza’s success as an engaging open space and revenue data helps reinforce that fact.
Organizations and companies that throw events on the plaza are subject to a rental fee for which the revenue is subsequently used by the City of Boston to fund free, public events for all to enjoy. It’s aptly called the City Hall Plaza fund.
According to Mayor Walsh’s budget proposal, the City Hall Plaza Fund’s mission is “to support civic, educational, recreational, literary, scientific, artistic, theatrical and musical functions and events for the benefit, enjoyment and edification of residents and visitors of the City.”
These kinds of happenings have truly taken off under the mayor’s administration with the likes of World Cup viewing gatherings, roller disco parties, celebratory flag raisings and concerts to name just a handful.
Charging $200 per hour, the City of Boston banked $170,768 in 2014 for various events. Somewhat exempt from this is the Big Apple Circus, which due to its five-year contract with the city pays a flat fee of $20,000 for two months instead of paying by the hour.
In that regard, the city’s top earner in 2014 was Boston Calling, which emptied $24,000 out of its pocket for 120 hours worth of fantastic musical performances in the spring and another $28,000 for 144 hours in the fall.
The Walsh administration is currently sifting through hundreds of responses to a call to re-imagine City Hall Plaza which will soon inform a Request for Proposal (RFP) to kick start a makeover.
What the City Hall Fund shows is that organizations recognize the potential to draw residents and passersby to the open space. With the substantial redesign in the works, though currently in an embryonic stage at this point, an advantageous cycle is being catalyzed.
The plaza was recently adorned with Adirondack chairs with accompanying tables soon to follow. As several placemaking experts told Bostinno last week, the millennial generation’s shift in values from the past’s emphasis on privacy and exclusiveness to stronger sense of community and sharing has led to an increased utilization of public spaces.
And thus, more willingness of the public to enjoy locales like City Hall Plaza incentivize organizations to host more engaging events which in turn allows the City of Boston to furnish spaces with free programming and features thereby drawing in more people.
Though it’s unclear exactly how the plaza will shape up in the near future, the hundreds of submissions and welcome though unprompted proposals indicate a willingness by both Bostonians and the city to provide inviting elements to open spaces which can be funneled through the plaza fund in order to afford everyone even more events and attractions.
