The New Architectural Lighting at City Hall, By the Numbers
A rendering shows City Hall’s exterior with new LED lights, from a viewpoint at Faneuil Hall. / Photo provided by Mayor Marty Walsh’s office
Pretty soon, you’ll be looking at City Hall in a new light.
This week, Mayor Marty Walsh announced a plan for an architectural lighting installation in City Hall Plaza to enhance the building’s original design. According to a release, the new lighting is part of the Walsh Administration’s goals to “liven up City Hall and create a safer area for pedestrians.”
The installation will illuminate the building with a white light and will be able to change color during city celebrations. The light fixtures are to be hidden behind existing parts of the plaza and placed on new light poles from Government Center MBTA station. New high-efficiency LED lights will also replace the original ones.
Since City Hall is a pending landmark, the Boston Landmarks Commission has to review the lighting plan before it is set. If approved, construction will begin in April and will be complete by the end of summer 2016. Here, we look at the plan by the numbers:
•••
The lighting will highlight 3 parts of City Hall: the public spaces, the symbolic spaces, and the administrative spaces.
•••
The new LED lights have a 20 year life span. The present set of lights has a 4 year life span.
•••
The plan is coordinating with Eversource on an energy incentive program for a grant of approximately $76,000.
•••
The energy efficient lights will save about 300,000 kWh per year.
•••
City Hall is a “Heroic” style building constructed in 1968.
•••
