Boston Plans $58.5 Million in City Hall Accessibility Upgrades Starting in 2026

BOSTON -- September 11, 2025, Boston City Hall faces $58.5 million in planned accessibility upgrades, officials told a City Council committee Thursday. At a hearing convened by Committee Chair Enrique J. Pepén on docket 0257, sponsored by Councilor Edward M. Flynn, Property Management Commissioner Eamon Shelton outlined three capital projects expected to begin construction in 2026: an approximately $8 million four-stop elevator to replace the building's decommissioned escalators and reach the previously inaccessible mezzanine level; a $50 million City Hall Plaza Phase Two renovation to add a compliant Congress Street ramp and overhaul the interior courtyard; and a smaller registry renovation to lower transaction windows to wheelchair height. Community member Bill Taub, who was declared legally blind in April 2025, testified that scrolling digital signs, small-font floor markers, and poorly contrasted stair edges make the building difficult to navigate for visually impaired visitors. Disabilities Commissioner Kristen McCosh said City Hall has gone from zero accessible bathrooms to five since she joined the commission 15 years ago, but acknowledged the mezzanine platform lift requires staff assistance for some wheelchair users because riders must hold a button continuously throughout the ride.