Charlotte has plans to spice up the boxy, beige government district

It’s full of beige, boxy buildings and cold plazas with a few scattered tables and benches. I’ve walked between the Government Center building and the courthouse quite a bit as a reporter, and rarely seen people relaxing outside.

Charlotte hopes to change that with “GovPorch.”

The city and county governments won a grant from Kaboom to help make it happen.

Details are still being hammered out, but key elements could include a great lawn, public art, swings, live-size Legos and games, ping pong tables, movable seating, food vendors, meeting spaces and a farmers market.

Charlotte’s I2 Labs is working on the design.

Here’s the latest plan.

Here are some conceptual renderings.

Image via Kaboom

Look for this to be completed later by March.