Boston has a plan to transform City Hall Plaza from a neglected opportunity into a year-round entertainment venue.
"The owners of TD Garden have won a bid to remake Boston’s City Hall Plaza, proposing to transform the little-loved, windswept brick expanse at the heart of the city into a bustling year-round hub of arts, food, and leisure," reports Dan Adams.
The company, Delaware North Cos., is expecting to invest "'upwards of $15 million' in improvements and attractions," according to Adams. The conceptual plans will require City Council approval when finalized, but for now, they include some of the following:
An observation wheel, reaching up to 200-feet tall.
- A "casual cool" restaurant.
- A summertime "urban beach" area.
- A winter garden and ice skating venue.
- Additional programming, including concerts and festivals.
- Art installations.
- "Semi-permanent" food and coffee stalls.
The article includes more details about each of those potential components, as well as a history of failed attempts to upgrade City Hall Plaza.
FULL STORY: How unloved City Hall Plaza could come to life

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