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Delaware North gets official contract to revive City Hall Plaza; plans include winter 'skating path'
By adamg on Wed, 09/07/2016 - 3:08pm
Rendering of the plaza in the winter.
Mayor Walsh's office announced today the city has signed a formal deal with Delaware North's Boston Garden Development Corp. to bring more life to the giant brick field that surrounds City Hall on three sides - starting with shaded picnic benches and more pop-up beer gardens on the plaza, and including winter ice skating.
Walsh actually selected Delaware North in March; today's announcement is of a formal contract in which the city will receive a percentage of revenues from events on the plaza as Delawre North works to make it more of a destination and less of a wind-swept area one only tries to get out of as fast as possible.
Winter activations on City Hall Plaza will include New England's first, custom-designed outdoor skating path and a European inspired holiday shopping market. Skaters of all ages are welcome to try this new twist on the traditional ice rink, a nearly 11,000 gross square foot outdoor ice path that will be open after Thanksgiving through February 2017. Resident and youth skating programs will be announced at a later date.
At the free outdoor holiday shopping market, visitors can experience seasonal delicacies and interactive attractions in a celebratory winter atmosphere. The market is set to open after Thanksgiving and continue through New Year's Day 2017, with a mix of local and international vendors and food and beverage offerings housed in individual chalets.
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Comments
I like it
I cringe every time I see a plan to permanently change the plaza. Sure it's windblown a lot of the time, but it IS used a fair majority of the time by large events (concerts, the circus, rallys, etc.) Bring on more pop-up and seasonal uses, but don't get rid of the basic premise that it's a much-needed place for large numbers of people to congregate.
Me too...
Like the skating design and am very happy that the once proposed ferris wheel has disappeared.
I Wonder
Who the vendors will be, what they will be selling and who will benefit from the rent.
Actually I wonder what the rent will be?
The seasonal market thing
The seasonal market thing works well in NYC in Bryant park - and pretty much anything is better than the empty expanse right now. Hope they incorporate more food truckage into the works.
Ice path
The ice path needs a "lazy river" option for non-skaters where you get a raft of some sort and there's a constant tow rope that will take you around the loop.
It leaks
The depressed "pit" area once had a water feature there when the plaza first opened. When it cracked and leaked into the subway they emptied it and let it dry up. If they plan to put anything there with water they need to make sure that it won't leak intot he green line again.
This is Boston
we can't.
We totally can!
And then just when we all come to love it, the BRA can find a way to give it to developers for nothing, who in turn can build a monstrosity on it that's marketed to city hall employees who want to live "Steps away from the office," then sold/rented to foreign investors when said city employees can't even afford to rent a closet in it!
If you're referring to the Millennium development I care to
remind you of the giant hole that was there and the many suitors leaving the altar from 2007 to 2013. It then became a lynchpin for numerous other projects. So the BRA caused the free market to bloom. What a crime.
I'm talking about
the entire city.
Beer?
Beer stands in Boston? On an ongoing basis? Really? That's impressive.
But since this is being run by Delaware North, will they be $10 each?
With DNC, we'll be lucky if
With DNC, we'll be lucky if they're only $10 ea.
Since this is Delaware North
Let's hope Boston trademarks such things as "Boston" and "City Hall" and "City Hall Plaza" and "Government Center" before working with them. Otherwise a few years down the line, we might end up with "Place of Leadership Business Station" and "Capitol of Massachusetts Square."
http://www.npr.org/2016/03/03/469006049/iconic-names-change-at-yosemite-...
$10?! Whats the reason for
$10?! Whats the reason for the low cost??
If only there was a place
If only there was a place downtown to take the kids ice skating
Big Cities
Big cities can easily utilize more than one ice skating venue.
Sarcasm?
There's always been the Frog Pond, fyi:
http://bostonfrogpond.com/winter-programs/pricing-season-passes/
And won't there be a rink at North Station?
I seem to recall a seasonal outdoor rink a la Rockefeller Center being part of the design for the hotel/retail/residential complex being built in front of the Garden. Is that no longer in the works?
Sweet!!!
This is great news! I work next to this area and it's easily one of the biggest eye sores in the entire city. Just straight slabs of concrete. So ugly and boring. This sounds great. Big Marty Walsh fan.
Wut
No 'green space' ? No solar powered pop up toilets?
Whatever.
Huts
What are all of those brown huts? Fancy port-0-potty's?
Huts
That's the "European inspired holiday shopping market."
Micro
aggression..
I think you mean
Pee Chalets.
water
I thought the fountain that was at GC plaza was removed because it leaked into the tunnels below. How is ice any better?
It will probably be self
It will probably be self contained like the pop up rink at Rowes Wharf
The ice isn't over the
The ice isn't over the fountain
How about
Converting the new Government Center station into an Ice Palace complete with a ski jump.
Where will the city vehicles park?
Does this mean that city vehicles will actually have to park somewhere other than the plaza?
yeah I didn't think so.
Ferris Wheel
Their original rendering definitely had a 50' ferris wheel, planted directly on top of the Blue Line tunnel, delivering gorgeous views of Cambridge Street, Center Plaza, the JFK building, and the roof of City Hall. Don't tell me this got nixed in planning?!
This got Nixed in the planning
It's an infrastructure thing. The ground is hollow. It may not hold the weight of a 50 foot Ferris Wheel.
Sad!
We want to be a world-class city, right? Maybe they can set up a modest 25'er on the roof of the Green Line tunnel, showcasing the beautiful lower halves of One Beacon and One Boston Place.
Skaters = bad element
Do we really want them hanging around with their scarves, organ music, and 40-ouncers of hot chocolate?