Renovation of the Gainesville City Hall Plaza is scheduled to start on Tuesday, Oct. 14.

Work in the area is not expected to impact public access to Gainesville City Hall, Lot 5 parking adjacent to the plaza or the Old Library Building, according to a press release.

In 2023, the Gainesville City Commission approved the plaza reconstruction to remove the fountain and pools and create a new space. The city was experiencing maintenance issues with the ponds, built in the 1960s.

The redesign will remove the ponds and create a functional space that will accommodate up to 2,400 people in the plaza, and will add green space, lighting, landscaping and seating. Improvements are also slated for the Sister Cities Monument Garden and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Garden.

Reconstruction will start in the southeast corner of the plaza, with the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Garden targeted for completion before the federal holiday in January. The existing MLK monument and ADA-accessible entrance will remain, with two new entrances added to the west and north.

The $1.8 million project is funded through a 2019 city-issued revenue note to fund public projects and through the Wild Spaces & Public Places surtax approved by voters in Alachua County in November 2022. The renovation is expected to be completed in spring 2026 and the City Commission approved the final design plan and funding at its Sept. 18 meeting.

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