Boston City Hall is officially a landmark

Love it or hate it, Boston City Hall is historic. There's now paperwork to that effect.

The Boston Landmarks Commission designated the building as a local landmark, recognizing the brutalist structure's "architectural, cultural and civic significance."

"This milestone serves as an affirmation of our commitment to preserving this space as a vital symbol of our democracy and a center for civic engagement," Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said in a statement. "Our administration is proud to help the building evolve into a space that is accessible to the community while maintaining its historic character."

The designation comes on the heels of a conservation planning effort started in 2021, according to the statement released by the mayor's office. That plan includes steps to improve city hall's accessibility to ensure "it remains inclusive and welcoming for all members of the public."

Built in 1968, city hall and the surrounding plaza replaced Scollay Square, a raucous district that was filled with burlesque theaters and other low-brow entertainment. The square, along with most of the West End, was bulldozed to make way for larger concrete structures during the so-called "urban renewal" movement of the 20th century. Thousands of residents were evicted and displaced to make space for the area's new vision.

To envision its new city hall, Boston held a competition in the 1960s and eventually selected the submission from architectural firm Kallmann, McKinnell, & Knowles. The design, then and now, was hailed by fellow architects as a classic example of the brutalist style.

But public opinion was split from the get-go. Indeed, Boston City Hall often finds itself on lists of the ugliest public buildings in the world.