The new fountain in front of Geneseo City Hall did not begin as a standalone fountain project.

It was part of a broader City Hall landscaping project included in the city's capital planning process, intended to address landscaping around the municipal building and a roughly 500-square-foot patch of grass near the front entrance that city officials said was difficult to maintain.

City records show the project was discussed and documented over a period of months before construction began, first as a landscaping concept and later as a specific landscaped area incorporating a water feature.

What was the project intended to accomplish?

City documents identify several purposes for the "City Hall Landscaping Updates"project:

Replace plants and shrubs around City Hall.
Address the approximately 500-square-foot grass area in front of the building that was difficult to grow and maintain.
Improve the appearance of the municipal entrance with a landscaped area and water feature designed to create a more inviting entrance.
Provide vehicle security by using the landscaped area and water feature as a physical barrier between vehicles and the main entrance.

Together, these elements made up the broader City Hall landscaping project.

Discussion and planning

The project began as part of the City's regular capital-planning process, well before construction equipment appeared outside City Hall.

In November 2025, the City's capital plan included $15,000 for City Hall landscaping improvements, including work on the approximately 500-square-foot grass area in front of the building.

By April 2026, the plans called for replacing that grass area with a landscaped area and water feature, with construction planned for the spring.

From planning to action

By May, the project had moved from planning into construction.

During the May 12 City Council meeting, the council received an update that work was underway with Corn Crib. Officials reported that concrete for the foundation of the water feature was curing and that the contractor was expected to return later that week.

At the June 9 meeting, officials again discussed the project. The fountain was described as being in progress through Corn Crib, with landscaping to follow after the fountain installation. Officials hoped it would be completed by the end of the month.

Rendering provided by the City of Geneseo. Photograph taken by Current staff.

By August, the City's project status report listed the City Hall landscaping work as "In Progress."

How does the this project compare with other City spending?

A finished fountain is highly visible and will attract attention. It’s cost, however, is not comparable in scale to major municipal infrastructure projects involving streets, sewer systems, vehicles or buildings.

For example, within the same capital-planning document, the City listed $365,000 for a street sweeper, $250,000 for the second phase of North State Street reconstruction, $134,910 for the Chicago Street sidewalk project and $70,000 for replacement of the Street Department building roof.

The City Hall landscaping project represents a relatively small portion of the City's overall capital spending. The City Hall landscaping project represents a small portion of the roughly $8 million Geneseo spends annually on capital projects.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.