Anchoring the northern gateway to Downtown, City Hall Plaza was created in the mid-1960s in concert with the new Boston City Hall, which opened in 1969. In 2022, the City completed a major multi-year renovation of the plaza, having commissioned the renowned Downtown-based design firm, Sasaki, to rejuvenate the area. Prior to that, in 2013, the City unveiled, at the southeastern edge of the plaza, a statue honoring legendary Boston Celtics player and civil rights champion Bill Russell.