'ReEvent the Plaza' to bring more world class events to City Hall Plaza

“From businesses in the area, to a student on summer break, to a resident with a great idea, we hope to see ideas from everyone,” said Mayor Walsh. “This is truly an open opportunity for all to create a more welcoming and world class space for the public.”    Through the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics, the City is searching for new and innovative ideas to activate City Hall Plaza. Individuals, local businesses, students and the general public are all encouraged to submit ideas. The City will review the submissions and will select events that will best enhance the use of the plaza. Those selected will get to use City Hall Plaza for free. If the event requires additional security, logistical support, insurance or permits, there may be associated costs. The City will accept applications through July 3, 2015.    Guidelines for submissions include: 

• The event should be free and open to the public, meaning the general public can easily attend or sign up ahead of time.
• The event should be implementable within the next six months.
• The event can be small or large, but should have an intended number of attendees. 
• Events that can be replicated or scaled in the future are most compelling.

The public is encouraged to use the hashtag #ReEventThePlaza to share ideas on social media. Earlier this year, Mayor Walsh a Request for Ideas (RFI) about the use, redesign, and operations on City Hall Plaza. The request to re-imagine City Hall Plaza is an effort that seeks to re-envision the important public space, cultivating an environment that contributes to the vibrancy of downtown Boston and City Hall. The Mayor’s Office is actively reviewing responses, which will assist the City in understanding the current state of the marketplace with regards to the solicited information.    City Hall Plaza consists of over 200,000 square feet of contiguous, solid-surface open space in an L-shape that includes a stage on the north side. Daily foot traffic on the Plaza is estimated at 20,000 to 30,000 people per day. City Hall Plaza has hosted many successful events including several World Cup viewing events,  the annual Boston Calling music festival, PRIDE, dozens of summer music concerts, flag raisings, bike races and more.   Mayor Walsh announced plans to re-envision City Hall Plaza during his 2015 State of the City Address speech in January. The Mayor hopes the plaza will be an inviting and attractive public space for residents and visitors and welcomes any ideas that further these goals, including leasing options, design improvements, curation ideas and public-private partnership strategies.