Phase 1 of Bicentennial Square Unveiled
June 23, 2025 — The City of Tallahassee and 2025 KCCI volunteer Community Catalyst team unveiled the first phase of improvements made in Bicentennial Square Park, located downtown next to City Hall along Jefferson Street.
Continuing the work of last year’s KCCI Community Catalyst team, the 2025 KCCI Community Catalysts have been working with the City of Tallahassee to bring the Bicentennial Square Vision Plan to life – guided by 10 months of research, planning, design work and community input.
Click HERE to see highlights of the event, and click here to see the City’s photo album.
The KCCI team’s vision and concept for the park was approved by the CRA Board at the August 2024 meeting. Phases 1 and 2 of the phased project approach and budget allocations were also unanimously approved by the CRA Board at the October 2024 meeting. At the CRA meeting in October 2024, the board unanimously voted to give the City of Tallahassee $516,000 to fully fund Phases 1 and 2 of the project. The City of Tallahassee is managing the creation of Bicentenial Square.
Completed phase 1 of the Bicentennial Square vision plan includes enhanced colonnade lighting, a Tallahassee-themed sculptural bike rack, improved planters and seasonal flowers, and a Bicentennial Square wayfinding sign.
“Community input is at the heart of KCCI. The Bicentennial Square project is transforming an underutilized space by leveraging cost-effective and research-informed design features,” said KCCI Executive Director Betsy Couch. “These phase 1 design elements invite community members to enjoy the space while helping promote safety and wayfinding.”
The Phase 1 elements include:
Artistic Bike Racks
These aren’t just inverted U’s — they’re functional art pieces that celebrate our culture and welcome cyclists into the heart of downtown. The new sculptural bike rack that doubles as an artistic installation and leads to elevated visibility and appreciation of cyclists.
Planters with Flowers
With integrated watering systems, these planters bring lush greenery and seasonal color. They soften the urban downtown and make it more vibrant and welcoming.
Colonnade Lighting for Safety
These new lights enhance visibility along the walkway, address safety concerns, and make the area inviting — especially at night.
Likewise, the Bicentennial Square welcome sign enhances connectivity and provides a sense of place as visitors navigate the area.
“The KCCI team is grateful to collaborate with the community and City of Tallahassee to create a distinctive destination that commemorates Tallahassee’s legacy as Florida’s capital city,” said 2025 KCCI Community Catalyst Verlonda Johnson. “As past KCCI projects have shown, these downtown improvements will have a positive impact and ripple effect of placemaking and economic influence.”
With the completion of Phase 1, Bicentennial Square helps to connect Kleman Plaza to the Adams Street corridor while enhancing a sense of place defined by safety, welcome and belonging. Future build-out of the park will include benches for seating and additional signage and wayfinding elements.
Bicentennial Square celebrates Tallahassee’s evolution and development, while also looking forward to continued growth and success. This is a dynamic place where people can connect each other and Tallahassee’s unique character.
Phase 2 will be underway later this year and Phase 3, which is full completion of Bicentennial Square, will occur once the City’s waterproofing below the park space is completed.
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About the Knight Creative Communities Institute (KCCI): Established in 2007, KCCI annually selects and organizes volunteers known as Community Catalysts to implement placemaking projects. These projects have helped enhance Tallahassee’s sense of place and generated nearly $1 billion in economic development. A new group of volunteer Community Catalysts is selected to plan and implement each annual project. KCCI is made possible by partners including: Knight Foundation Fund at the Community Foundation of North Florida, VyStar Credit Union, Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, Taproot, FAMU School of Business and Industry, Florida State University, NAI TALCOR, Structure Real Estate, Nolia & Bill Brandt, Lewis + Whitlock, Wood + Partners, David Powell & Vicki Weber, Marjorie Turnbull, Serena and Jon Moyle, Tharpe Construction, Dentist Dr. Cory Couch, Target Print & Mail, Charlie Johnson, and Archibald Foundation.