Placemaking: Developing Public Space in Downtown Boston (Virtual)

Significant public spaces in the city are built by private endeavors. This presentation and panel will explore the role of private development in placemaking through collaboration with the municipal agencies and neighborhood engagement. Within Boston’s downtown core, MP Boston has created a series of developments which feature the redevelopment of the public realm adjacent to their projects with the creation of vibrant public spaces.

Halle Thomas from MP Boston, Shauna Gillies-Smith from Ground Landscape, and Seth Riseman from Handel Architects will dive deeper into how their projects have shaped the downtown core. They will share how they’ve achieved success in placemaking and lessons learned on such projects as Shopper’s Plaza and Tontine Crescent. Winthrop Center, MP Boston’s most recent project, brings public access as an interior city block connection through their building via a grand hall.