Council hearing details $58.5 million in City Hall accessibility projects; stair safety and wayfinding flagged as immediate concerns

At a Sep. 11 hearing of the Boston City Council Committee on City Services and Innovation Technology, councilors and city officials reviewed current and planned accessibility work at Boston City Hall and identified several near-term safety and wayfinding problems that city staff said they will study and address. The hearing was chaired by Councilor Enrique Pepin and sponsored by Councilor Ed Flynn. The city described three projects now in design or planned that officials said together total about $58.5 million: an approximately $8 million four‑stop elevator to replace nonfunctional escalators, a roughly $50 million City Hall Plaza Phase 2 renovation, and a smaller registry counter renovation to make three transaction windows accessible. “We have about, you know, $58,000,000 or 58 and a half million dollars of projects upcoming and planned for City Hall,” said Eamon Shelton, Commissioner of Property Management. The projects matter because the existing interior layout, aging equipment and several nonconforming features make parts of City Hall difficult to use for seniors and people with disabilities. “The building was built in the 1960s just before accessibility regulations were codified, so it was not accessible from the start,” said Commissioner Makash of the Disabilities Commission. She added, “we don't consider ourselves the ADA police” but rather a collaborative office that helps departments plan for access and inclusion. City staff described the 4‑stop elevator as a priority: it will convert the nonfunctional escalators into stair runs and install a new elevator that, officials said, would give full accessibility to the mezzanine, Fourth Floor and courtyard areas currently hard to reach by people with mobility limitations. Shelton said construction for the design‑stage elevator project is expected to start in calendar year 2026. The City Hall Plaza Phase 2 work will focus on the south side of the site, Congress Street stairs and the courtyard skylight and ramps; Shelton said that project also is in design with construction expected in 2026. Panelists and public commenters identified immediate operational problems that will not be solved by the large capital projects. Bill Taub, a legally blind community accessibility monitor who testified at the hearing, described wayfinding and interior hazards: “The stairs, bad contrast, no yellow stripes. I have to walk down those stairs very gingerly. Pretty awful.” Taub and councilors asked for short‑term fixes—better visual contrast, signage and furniture to mark edges—while preserving landmarked features. Panelists described existing accessibility aids and limits. A vertical platform lift installed to replace an older incline lift is public and does not require a key; users must press and hold a button for the ride. “There is no key necessary. ... the instructions are posted,” said Commissioner Makash, explaining that the lift will carry one person in a wheelchair plus a second ambulatory person, but two wheelchairs cannot fit. Commissioners said municipal greeters and security staff have received training and that additional outreach and training are planned. Officials and the Boston Landmarks Commission said landmark designation does not bar changes and that the commission works with Property Management and the Disabilities Commission to minimize visual impact while improving access. Joe Cornish, Director of Design Review for the Boston Landmarks Commission, said the commission approved prior accessibility work and “we work very closely with Commissioner Shelton's team ... to get projects approved and move forward.” Councilors pressed for clearer short‑term wayfinding and public guidance for visitors arriving from Faneuil Hall and Government Center. Shelton said directional signage already exists on the Washington Mall but accepted a request to coordinate more explicit guidance for weekend visitors and tourists who may not be familiar with accessible routes. No formal vote or ordinance was taken at the hearing. Committee members and staff agreed to conduct further study and outreach, to pursue short‑term visual and furniture‑based cues for hazardous stair edges, to continue design work on the three projects in the capital plan, and to coordinate a follow‑up walkthrough with community members who use accessibility services. Planning and construction timelines, funding sources and design approvals were discussed but not finally approved at the hearing; Shelton described expected construction starts in 2026 subject to the usual design, bidding and permitting process. The committee adjourned after the Q&A and a commitment from officials to keep the council informed as projects move from design into construction.