Nestled in the heart of Boston’s financial district, this green oasis has been enormously popular from the day it opened. Hailed as “the perfect park,” Post Office Square integrates the busy, festive character of downtown Boston with elements that suggest tranquility and refuge. With more than 125 species of plants, it is a garden for all seasons, rich in detail and visual interest. Two garden pavilions and outdoor plazas host a year-round café and pedestrian access to the 7-story parking garage that lies beneath the park.
Originally created to take the place of an old above-grade parking garage, the park has become a center for urban activity. Halvorson’s design created a major new public open space for Boston’s financial district, and new downtown green space—one that is rich in detail and visual interest, that recognized the area’s architectural heritage, and that provided welcome relief and contrast to the dense urban fabric surrounding the park. The design team’s concept followed closely the client’s careful and detailed program.
During the warmer months, it is extremely common to find droves of professionals eating lunch, catching up with friends, or having business meetings either at the many café tables available or on the lawn, for which cushions are provided.
In 1997, the park was officially renamed in honor of Norman B. Leventhal, whose original idea and leadership led to the transformation of the site. Halvorson has been the on-call consultant for the park since its opening, designing improvements to keep it updated and welcoming. Recently, Halvorson completed the expansion of the Sip Terrace, allowing the café to expand its services with a new summer beer garden.