City Hall Plaza renovation starts Tuesday; Building access unaffected

City Hall Plaza renovation starts Tuesday; Building access unaffected

Published on October 08, 2025

Renovation of City Hall Plaza is scheduled to begin Tuesday, Oct. 14, and is not expected to impact public access to Gainesville City Hall, the Old Library Building or Lot 5 parking adjacent to the plaza.

The Gainesville City Commission approved the plaza reconstruction in 2023 to address maintenance issues with the ponds, built in the 1960s. The redesign removes the ponds to create more functional space to accommodate as many as 2,400 people in the plaza, and adds green space, seating, landscaping and lighting. Improvements also are planned for both the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Garden and the Sister Cities Monument Garden.

Plaza reconstruction will begin in the southeast corner, with the MLK, Jr. Memorial Garden targeted for completion in advance of the federal holiday in January. The existing monument to Dr. King and ADA-accessible entrance will remain, with two new entrances added to the north and west.

The $1.8 million project, expected to be completed in spring 2026, is funded through a 2019 City-issued revenue note to fund public projects and the Wild Spaces & Public Places (WSPP) surtax approved by Alachua County voters in November 2022. The city commission approved the funding and final design plan at meetings last month.

The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department plans to repurpose the removed chert stone wherever possible as part of the city's sustainability efforts.

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