Public Square (Watertown, New York)

Buildings line all four sides of the square, while a large oval park sits in its center.

While the square boasts some modern architecture, its main character is defined by the numerous 19th- and early 20th-century buildings that still stand.

The current layout of the square and its surrounding streets developed in those early years.

Urban renewal policies during the 1960s and 1970s resulted in the demolition of some of the square's historic structures.

Although nearby the Fort Drum military reservation expanded in the 1980s and brought growth to the Watertown, modern shopping malls and retail chains built on the city's west side drew business away from the square.

In 2006, the new economic development was coupled with a multimillion-dollar streetscape project to reinforce the square's infrastructure, as well as beautify its roads, walkways and landscaping.

Public Square's North Side. The modern office building on the left blends in with the 19th-century buildings to its right.
Public Square's East Side circa 1865.
A panoramic view of Public Square circa 1909.
New landscaping and brickwork adorn Public Square Park after the completion of the multimillion-dollar renovation project in 2008.
The Paddock Arcade